


Shared Vision

by KiraRey_KyloBen



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Battle Scenes, Canonical Character Death, F/M, Reylo - Freeform, Reylofest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-06-10 15:24:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 81,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15294411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KiraRey_KyloBen/pseuds/KiraRey_KyloBen
Summary: An outside of the box theory of what could happen in Episode IX directly after the battle on Crait (Episode 8 The Last Jedi) - Rey and Kylo are learning to piece things together. The status of Supreme Leader gives Kylo the opportunity to make changes the Empire and First Order never could. Will he follow through with his promise to Luke that he will "destroy her and all of it?"Rey begins training with surprising partners, learning the gray balance between the light and the dark side of the force.Some original characters, canon compliant planets and creatures.





	1. The Day After

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for joining us on this small journey! Only 20 chapters- we hope this small piece of our imaginations gives you some reprieve from the stresses of real life. We will be including a few songs with each chapter that we feel goes along with the moment.  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGs8vtjDxxY - The Reason by Hoobastank  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZVQoWUY97s - Fear by Blue October  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqm-rDB7Xic - Made of Glass by Trapt  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb7zhunYGik - Without You by Breaking Benjamin

Rey leaned back in a shallow alcove of the Millennium Falcon watching the stars flicker past at lightspeed. Though the lights had been turned down hours ago and exhaustion coursed through her, Rey couldn't stop the questions from streaking through her mind as fast as the stars slid by the porthole.  Foremost in her mind at the moment was: Why, Ben?  She couldn't stop her eyes from shifting to the table where Luke's decimated saber lay in pieces.  She had been so sure. She had known irrevocably that when the time came, Ben would turn to the light. And he had. Dismembering Snoke before the sadist could even realize what was happening, immediately turning to face the Praetorian Guard even through the fury of battle she could feel it. There had been no whisper of hesitation. It wasn't fear or hatred that was motivating him. What roared from him was protective, a desperate demand for freedom. That break of Snoke's hold could only have come from a surge of light within him, she had no doubt. So where did things gone wrong? Why hadn't he come with her? They could have ended the war now! 

...Couldn't they?

More questions.

She leaned her head back and rubbed at her stinging eyelids. It had been too long since she slept, but her mind needed dredged of the uncertainties that were starting to bubble up.

Hadn't she been completely convinced of a lot of wrong ideas lately? She was sure all she had to do was help BB-8 and Finn get back to the resistance and then she could go back to life on Jakku.  She was sure all she had to do was return Luke's lightsaber to him, and he would save the resistance.  She was sure all she needed to do was go to Ben, and he would renounce the First Order.  

Luke tried to tell her. "This won't go the way you think."

Rey chided herself for thinking any of these matters could be solved so simply. On Jakku, life was straightforward: work, fight, eat, and try to hold on to hope. But she wasn't on Jakku now. Every day became infinitely more complex. She couldn't rely on old habits to navigate such an unfamiliar path. Nothing was the same anymore. _'I need to get used to this,'_ she thought. _'I don't see it changing any time soon.'_

_Time to grow up, Rey._

And, inexplicably, it was with that thought that she dropped into profound sleep. 

* * * * *

Ben strode through the corridors of his command ship blazing with intent. Though few people were required to be on duty at this hour, he wanted to make sure even the casual late night observer viewed him appropriately. He must emanate unquestionable strength and focus on a singular objective. He must be looked upon as dauntless, certainly not as a fraying cord ready to snap. Which, of course, he was. Frantic energy surged through him as he tried to make sense of all that had transpired of late. He felt his fists clenching at his sides, sensed raw emotion surging it's way to the surface. Turning down a passage that dead ended after 5 doors, he wrenched open the last one on the left and stepped out of sight of the meager crew.

The room before him was more intriguing than he would have thought. He had twisted his way through the cavernous ship's belly, essentially as far from Command, weapons systems, and the pretentious living quarters as possible. He had expected maintenance, storage, or even a dusty board room. Instead what he saw was a massive arched view of the stars. On either side of the platform where he stood, shallow stairs led to a second level where dormant flight control panels curved to match the expansive window. Each side of the bottom level was lined with stations for various operations. The unexpectedness of what lay before him shook him from his cyclical brooding. He stilled, reaching out to the structure around him. This was not only a secondary Command, it was a separate ship! He stretched his mind further into the vessel. This cruiser was an older model, built with heavy conflict in mind... yes, defense for the First Order's bases. Those built in areas where their hold was less established. Where even those who were not resistance fighters could cause trouble. If the primary Command deck were destroyed, the ship could be directed from here. If the bulk of it were too badly damaged, this smaller vessel could separate.

It had been a long time since he'd used the force in this way. It had not been a part of his training either as a padawan or Knight of Ren. This was something he picked up on trips in the Millennium Falcon, when his dad decided he was old enough to come on a few "business trips" with him.

At that time, the Empire had been decimated and the Republic was still scrambling to establish itself as a governing power and maintain general order. It was a smuggler's paradise. Danger came, not from Imperial inspections, but from pirates. During a particularly harrowing encounter with an experienced pillager, Ben realized that he could sense the other ship, just as he was aware of the components of the Millennium Falcon. He was able to pinpoint a barely detectable weakness in the other ship's shielding, and noted that one of the cannons was unable to swivel. This information allowed them to hamstring the other ship and make a hasty escape without being shot through. Han was ecstatic at their sleek evasion, and after the initial celebration, Ben excitedly explained how he had done it. Han was decidedly less enthusiastic about this news. He simply stood there, hands on hips, looking down at his son. After a momentary pause, he simply grunted, "Huh, alright,” and headed back to the cockpit to check on their destination. Ben was shocked at his father's reaction. Chewie, at least, patted him on the back and bellowed gratitude and encouragement before also retreating to the cockpit. Ben stood there alone, aghast. Why was his father being distant? It's not like this was the first time he had used the force. He was able to move things around the house since he was a young-ling! He even helped with large tools and paneling when Han let him hang around while he did repairs. He was trying to help, but his easy instinct with the force never seemed to sit right with Han. In time, it seemed to be the distinctive wedge that drove them apart: the more talented Ben became with the force, the more inaccessible Han became as a father.

Ben was torn apart by the distance. He couldn't imagine why being force sensitive, something that was so common in his family, would push his father away. The answers his mind came up with were increasingly negative: **"He's jealous... He's afraid... He will never understand me... I thought I was special."** It was a long time before he realized that these were actually Snoke's persuasions, the dark lord's attempts at influencing his mind at a young age. Looking back, he wondered if it was only his mind that Snoke sought to influence, or if perhaps his parents had been targeted as well.

Ben pulled a gloved hand down his face, as if he could physically wipe away the painful memory. Thoughts of his time with his parents was leading down an unproductive path, one that would undoubtedly break the calm he had momentarily procured. He needed to FOCUS. He closed his eyes and reached into the force again, this time carefully sifting through the recent monumental events and what he must face about himself.

Snoke's Death: He replayed the scene in his mind. He could feel the white hot coal that smoldered within him as he watched Snoke torturing Rey, listened to him berate them both. The encounter had gone nothing like he had planned, and when Snoke commanded him to strike down his true enemy, he didn't even have to contemplate the meaning. He split his master in two without hesitation. It was never Rey that he would have hurt.

 _For her_ , his mind whispered. But no, it was not just for her. This was a result of Snoke's own tutelage. Initially, Snoke enticed him with indulgence. Where his power with the force had separated him from his family, Snoke advocated his ability. He was inundated with training and tools that made him feel secure, courageous, even. It was something he'd never felt before, this freedom to pursue his potential, to test his strength, feel it pushed to the limit. Even his force sensitive mother had seemed adverse to his aptitude, and when it became obvious that he wouldn't – or couldn't curb his gift, she immediately arranged for him to be sent to his uncle's training facility... **“They're trying to control me... I don't need to be controlled...”**

His first reaction was to resist and he dreaded the idea of going to Luke's academy. Then he convinced himself he would surely find sanctuary there. His uncle, a legendary Jedi, would understand how natural his strength with the force was. But, no. Instead Luke responded much like his mother. It seemed every time he was hitting his stride, Luke would stop him, pull him back. Just as he would achieve a unity with his ability and stretch to feel the extent of his command, he would be shut down. It was beyond frustrating. The few times he didn't stop, when reaching beyond the point where Luke told him to stop, he would feel an electrifying rush, a subtle understanding of something new, something he hadn't grasped before. After each of these small transgressions, he would always be greeted by the same haunted look from his uncle, who would always dismiss him without discussion. **“He's afraid of me. He wants to control me too.. Yes boy, I won't hold you back...”**

Ben could never understand his family's reactions. “Such a disappointment” he felt his uncle's thoughts so often. “There's too much Vader in him” were his father's usual retorts. The sentiments of the students themselves were varied. He could feel the admiration of some, the disquiet of others. Luke would always follow up one of these breaches of conduct with a lecture on the Dark Side. He would discuss fear and rage and power, and the inability to control one's emotions. But that just deepened Ben's confusion. He was frustrated, disappointed, and insecure. Although he was not afraid, fear wasn't a part of it. Yes, he had a temper. Sure, he had uncontrolled outbursts throughout his life, but using the force always quieted him. Initially he would use it to throw or crush things, but even that would quickly calm him, because he could intricately feel the destruction. It would give him something else to focus on. He wasn't afraid - It was Luke, and about two thirds of the students enrolled who were afraid.

Ben tried to follow Luke's training explicitly. But the more he learned, the less he felt he could simply follow drills. The force called to him so strongly, he used it without thinking, as a natural extension of himself. The call to do more grew and could not find release in standard exercise. It didn't matter, there were others who felt a similar need, and eventually Ben formed a group of students that would steal away after hours and experiment with every avenue of the force they pleased. Ben pulled strong satisfaction from the group. They weren't exactly friends, but they shared a unity. And regardless of the approach, not one of them could surpass Ben. His work both day and night had given him unparalleled ability. They would spar, share new ideas, test each other, and reach into each others minds learning new depths that the force would introduce to different ones.

They limited their time each night so they could still get some sleep and their late hour activities would remain covert. As careful as they were, the disruption they caused in the force did not go completely unnoticed.

Ben didn't remember what woke him that night. He just remembered the glow of the light saber and the horrible look in his uncle's eyes. His instinctive reaction had saved him, in more ways than one. With out even realizing it, he called to the students of his after hours group through the force, burning into their minds the vision of his uncle's attack. Everyone of them responded, immediately coming to his aid. He had already incapacitated his uncle, but it seemed Luke also called for help from the other students. It was no contest. Luke's students didn't have the training that Ben's did, but they wouldn't stop fighting until the last one was cut down.

He remembers the sick feeling. His whole world had shifted in a matter of minutes. He was there, on the edge of complete oblivion, nearly destroyed by his own destruction when Snoke called to him. The whole group felt it. Like a cool breeze drifting through the heat of their anguish. They were given the tiniest relief and the promise of more if they just came to him. And they did. Every one of them followed that soothing whisper in their minds. There was no where else to go. **“You will have everything you've ever wanted. I won't tell you 'No'. This is where you belong...”**

Meeting Snoke, they were a sorry group of broken, shocked adolescents. Snoke had no trouble slithering into their minds. But rather than giving them the relief he originally promised, he made them squirm. He projected the idea that they were all despised. That no one would ever forgive them for what they had done, even though they had no choice. He branded himself into their conscience as their only refuge. Only then did he alleviate a measure of their grief.

Snoke provided for them lavishly in comparison to the simple Jedi Academy. They had opulent living quarters, the finest meals. The training facilities and supplies were without limit. And at first, they were encouraged to train as they had at night outside of the Jedi Academy. They also had the unflinching support of their new master. They need only serve the First Order unquestioningly, using their gifts with the force in Snoke's service. They were to be an elite company of soldiers, second only to the Praetorian Guard.

Snoke's mistake came when he intensified their training. He started leading the group in exercises that centered only on the Dark Side. No one objected, Ben and his fellow students had experimented with both when they were training on their own. The problem was, he started weaving in mental suggestion. Ben noticed it immediately. More than that the training fostered rage, more than dark side training, this made Ben burn. He had been perfectly willing to serve Snoke when they were left to their own will, reveled in it, even, having the independence that serving him first afforded. But Snoke grew impatient with their latitude, and sought to bend them to his intention.

Snoke sensed Ben's resistance and punished him for it. But Snoke was no fool. Ben was by far the most adept at using the force. If Snoke didn't find a way to subdue him, he would have to kill him. So next he made Ben an offer. Ben would be his apprentice, and the master of the Knights of Ren. All he had to do was accept Snoke's "guidance". There was no actual choice, Ben understood what refusal would mean. It was likely his own comrades would be required to slaughter him while Snoke repressed his power. But as their leader, he would be able to provide them with a measure of protection. So he accepted. But not wholly. Part of himself, his will, the light, he locked away. Portioned himself off before allowing Snoke to pour his noxious appetite into him.

Ben was noticeably different from then on. His volatile nature returned. Now when he flew into a rage, the destruction he caused no longer affected him through the force. Instead he would feel a thirst for more chaos. And then the faintest shiver of himself would hum within him. It made him mournful and erratic. But it also fostered a vicious plan within him. He would not always be Snoke's instrument. He would raze his regime, and replace him as Supreme Leader of the First Order. He would kill Snoke, one day.

The contrivance to undo Snoke began then, when he insisted that Ben forfeit his volition. Rey's impetuous decision to present herself before him merely provided a choice opportunity to carry it out.

Rey.... He couldn't think of her, not yet. There was too much explosive emotion tied to those thoughts, too many questions. What would become of the bond they shared? If Snoke controlled it why did it seem to be in tact since he was killed? He could feel her, even now. If he just reached out... no. Not now.

The moment he killed Snoke, he had felt the divisive fog lifting from his mind. Dispatching the Praetorian Guard felt like a cleansing storm for him, physically purging Snoke's agenda.

But years under Snoke's thumb had taken their toll. He was not wholly himself yet. The fortress he built around his unmolested self remained within him. For when he awoke from the fractured lightsaber's energy burst to the detestable face of general Hux, he had instantly fallen into old habits. He fixated his roiling emotions on the remnant of the resistance and pursued them vehemently. His composure fled completely when he faced Luke, and left him utterly unhinged. It was only when they found the base completely abandoned that the seething rage within him had sputtered and died, leaving him empty.

Returning to his room he was inundated as memories and emotions slammed into him like tempestuous waves of the sea. He could not be still, and so he resisted the urge to take out his frustration with his lightsaber on his surroundings. Such outbursts were expected of Kylo Ren, but they had no place with the Supreme Leader of the First Order. It's time to grow up.

Now he was here, in this star filled room, pacified just enough to find catharsis from his old master's death. There was more to resolve. The sea had not run out of waves. But for tonight, he'd won a few hours of sleep.


	2. Old Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Rey, are you a Jedi?"
> 
> Her face darkened as she looked back at Finn. Her immediate answer is no. To be truthful she doesn't really know what the definition of a Jedi is. Just because you can use the force doesn't mean you're a Jedi. Just because someone teaches you to breathe, to meditate, to reach out in a way you never have before doesn't make you a Jedi either. 
> 
> "To be honest, I'm not sure."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvF4V44Ixrg - Still On Your Side - BB Mak  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dmQ3QWpy1Q - Heavy - Linkin Park  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHfMcxyTq5k - Only One In Color - Trapt

Rey woke to the warm comfort of Finn's jacket spread over her. He was seated at the table across from her, leaning on one elbow and pouring over a holo screen. He noticed her stirring and abandoned the instrument so he could kneel in front of her. They stared at each other for a moment, relieved smiles creasing both of their faces. 

"You're up early" Rey teased. 

Finn chuckled. "Storm Troopers work long hours." 

Rey raised an eyebrow, "Are you implying Jedi do not?" She grinned at him mischievously.

Finn turned serious. "So it's true? You've been training with Luke Skywalker?" He lowered his voice conspiratorially, though it did not seem to be a secret.

Rey looked to the floor and nodded slowly, her eyes shimmering as she remembered that Luke was gone.

"Rey, are you a Jedi?"

Her face darkened as she looked back at Finn. Her immediate answer is no. To be truthful she doesn't really know what the definition of a Jedi is. Just because you can use the force doesn't mean you're a Jedi. Just because someone teaches you to breathe, to meditate, to reach out in a way you never have before doesn't make you a Jedi either. 

"To be honest, I'm not sure." 

Finn frowned but waited for her to finish. 

"Luke... didn't want to train me...He'd isolated himself from the force...I spent most of my time on that island trying to convince him to help the resistance, and the rest stumbling across secrets."

Finn stared intently. "Secrets?"

She shifted. Looking into Finn's unguarded face, she wanted to confess everything. To lay bare to him the complexities that she was just beginning to grasp. But the yearning to unburden herself was quickly sheathed by a flurry of realization. Doing so would put him in jeopardy. Finn's instinct to protect had not only overpowered the First Order's conditioning, but caused him to put himself in harm's way over and over again to safeguard her and their friends in the resistance. He showed such disregard for his own well being whenever one of them had been threatened, it was a miracle he hadn't already been killed. He would never be at peace with the knowledge that she had thrust herself into the heart of the enemy, based on nothing more than intuition. Even force based intuition would not justify such actions in his mind. If he thought she was likely to do something similarly risky, he might very well get himself killed trying to stop her. 

Rey felt a sudden piercing guilt. Until then, she hadn't considered how much her actions could hurt Finn. Casting herself headlong at the most evil being in the galaxy, she had shown little appreciation for the fight Finn put up to defend her on Star Killer Base. Her stomach curdled at her lack of gratitude. She had behaved disrespectfully toward her friend's sacrifice, and gained little more than a stalemate. Snoke was dead, but so was Luke. 

Beyond that, her connection with Ben seemed far too intimate to be discussed offhandedly. Luke was most likely the only person to understand a force bond, and she hadn't felt comfortable discussing it even with him. So, in the end, what she told Finn was an abridged version of the truth.

She described the brief lessons Luke gave her, and her confusion at his contradictory statements. 'The force doesn't belong to the Jedi... there must be balance... but don't go anywhere near the dark.' How he agreed to teach her, but wouldn't let her read the Jedi texts. She finished with a very glossed over adaptation of how she and Chewie came to meet up with what was left of the resistance. 

Finn listened, absorbed in the narrative, then nodded distractedly as he stared at the floor. Rey could feel the questions welling up in him.

"Luke is... dead, Finn." She added hurriedly.

This effectively broke his reverie as he returned his attention to her. 

"I felt him pass as we were jumping to lightspeed." She let her head fall dejectedly back against the wall. "I don't know what to do. The resistance needed him, not me."

Finn put a reassuring hand on her arm. "These people have lost almost everything. Right now, they don't need a legendary savior. They just need hope." 

Rey could feel how genuine his words were. She put her hand over his and nodded. Feeling slightly bolstered. He looked down at her touch and noticed the gash on her shoulder from the fight with the Praetorian Guard. Again, she could sense his emotions. He was puzzled, there were obvious signs of battle on her, and a glaring lack of conflict in the story she had just presented him with. She also felt the resolve form in him, an appendage of trust sweeping the nagging concerns aside just as an arm shoves clutter from atop a desk. She had never been so grateful.

"Come on" Finn took both her hands and pulled her to a stand. "You need to get cleaned up, the General is going to want to talk to you."

Rey padded off to the refresher, stopping to pick up some clean clothes. She bathed as long as she dared, letting the heat loosen her aching muscles. Staring into the mirror, her mind wandered to Ben. She found herself thinking about his face, his scar, his eyes. Not sure if it was attraction or just curiosity. She hurried to finish before a mountain of emotion could avalanche over her. Finn was waiting in the hall with a cup of steaming liquid. He handed her the beverage and led her back to the med bay. 

"No med droids, but I think I can patch up that slice on your shoulder." 

She just stared for a moment as Finn gathered supplies. He glanced back and then gestured toward the lounge. "If I managed this with an angry Wookie during a firefight, I think I can fit you with a workable field dressing now."

Rey took a seat and watched in amazement as Finn slipped the sleeve of her tunic off her shoulder and started ministering to the painful red gouge. He actually seemed to know what he was doing, taking time first to spray the wound with an anesthetic that spread warm relief all the way down her arm. She hadn't realized how tense the pain had made her until it was gone. Now in the comfort of Finn's care, she closed her eyes and breathed. Without even thinking, she stretched out with her feelings, taking in her surroundings. She could see the worn controls to the lounge, the struggling lights above her. She could sense the depleted supplies in the storage cabinets and their rusted latches. And Finn, with her eyes still closed, she could feel his presence. He glowed a soft orange color, exuding gentleness. As she turned her attention more fully to him, she could even hear the sigh of his thoughts as he worked. "...obviously not... a blaster...like an electroweapon... not telling me..." overlaying these thoughts was a hazy memory, one that she recognized, of her answering a personal question with "None of your business!" Realization washed over her. Finn knew she was keeping something from him, but rather than turning to suspicion and distrust, he was giving her the benefit of the doubt, choosing to believe that she had credible reason for withholding the information. And there too, his decision was laced with memory, how he had concealed his own identity from Rey, and when he finally did divulge it, she had not held the deceit against him. 

Rey felt a slight lump in her throat. She resolved to never take Finn for granted. She didn't deserve a friend so effervescent with light. Something pinged in the back of her mind at the thought, but she didn't have a chance to contemplate it. Finn had just finished treating her arm and she opened her eyes to see him slowly pulling the sleeve of her tunic back over the bandage. When it was in place, his hands lingered, one gently cupping her arm, the other resting on her collarbone. Finn swallowed conscientiously as they locked eyes, both of them recognizing the sudden intimacy of the situation. Finn's energy seemed to deepen in color, and Rey felt a pull toward him. But before the moment had even taken shape, a communicator at Finn's side beeped and the tension between them dissipated. 

Finn stepped back from the lounge to unclip the communicator and turned away from Rey to speak into it. It was Poe, asking him where he was and if he had seen Rey. Finn confirmed that they were together and heading up to see the General. Poe signed off, and Finn turned to find Rey already sliding off the lounge and heading toward the door.

On the short journey she could feel Finn's leftover feelings bouncing around in his head. A little confusion, love and warmth. Rey feels the same though she's not used to being fond of someone. She never had a friend really, and it suddenly felt complicated. Now is not the time for sorting things out, the future needs to be planned. Leia's door opened and the discussion about what to do next began.


	3. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I wish I could be of more help, but I didn't learn much. And now that Luke is gone... How can we save the Resistance without the Jedi?"  
> Leia raised an eyebrow at her. "You know, I didn't become a General and lead decades of Resistance fighters against the most powerful government in the galaxy by putting all my eggs in one basket."  
> Rey frowned, "What?"  
> Leia cocked her head slightly, puzzled by Rey's confusion. "Rey, hasn't it occurred to you that the Resistance has never had the help of the Jedi?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter! They all start getting a liiiiittle longer from here... :) Hope you enjoy!
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6cdPeYJh0s - Broken - Lifehouse  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F90Cw4l-8NY - Pompeii - Bastille

Chapter 3 - Trust

 

Ben sat in an expansive boardroom at the head of an onyx conference table. He stared at a holo screen, striving to digest the prepared speech. Upon returning from the skirmish at the abandoned rebel base, Ben immediately gave instructions for an assemblage to all First Order constituents and general systems. Today he would orate to the entire dominion on the death of Supreme Leader Snoke, and his rightful ascendancy to that position. Without detail, he would assure the citizens that they were in the process of eliminating the remainder of the Resistance, exacting vengeance for this crime against their sovereign. He would not focus on the war. Everyone was fed up to the point of nausea with this ancient enmity and its seemingly inescapable stalemates. No, he would direct their focus on the prosperity that was to come under a unified galaxy, and infer that there were impending changes within the First Order itself.

That was the message he would convey, not this flowery eulogy before him. No doubt this speech had been prepared by some political tactician to garner the people's sympathy. It was ghastly. Snoke would not be mourned as some beloved monarch, no matter how ornately the speech was contrived. What First Order supporters were concerned with was their own security, and wealth. He tossed the holo screen onto the table. He would have to rewrite it himself.

Ben rose and paced the room. There were a multitude of things that needed to be dealt with immediately, and each one of them required careful consideration. They would reach the Silbatta system at the peak of the planets' day, leaving him a few hours time for final preparations before his speech that evening. In the meantime, he needed to formulate and institute a plan for dealing with the Resistance, and address the Knights of Ren. Both were daunting tasks. So much had changed in so short an amount of time, and the transformation was just beginning. He would have to handle every aspect with precision. At the moment he was sure of two things: The First Order must change tactics in handling the Resistance; and taking care of what was left of those Rebels must not be the focus of his rule. Wiping out the revolt with an extravagant display of power had always seemed the best way to further the agenda of the regime. It also failed miserably every single time. Strong-arming the opposition only caused more systems to slip through the iron grip of the First Order. Support for the Resistance had increased, and their proclivity for destroying pre-eminent weapons systems was an unceasing source of embarrassment. The Empire had once followed these tactics against their enemies and were decimated. It was obscene that the First Order mimicked the Empire but expected a different outcome. 

Ben shook his head. Why had he never realized this before? Snoke's influence was always so suffocating, any answer beyond blind rage and brute strength seemed outside his grasp. The entire establishment took on new hues now that he was Supreme Leader, and under no one's control. So, what was he going to do about the Resistance, if crushing them under the First Order's boot was not the most productive response? He stopped pacing and closed his eyes. The intricacies of his new responsibilities were giving him a headache. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves, and felt the answer come. It could be so easy. Immediately he stalked out of the room to make arrangements.

* * * *

Rey wasn't sure what to expect from a formal meeting with Leia. They'd only spent a little time getting to know one another so far. Other than a natural rapport and the attachment that comes from sharing adversity, they were strangers. There were few private rooms on the Millennium Falcon, and Leia was using hers as a combination conference room and bunk. Finn escorted her there, then headed back to the common area, leaving them their privacy. Leia was sitting at a small table looking drained. She smiled wearily and beckoned Rey over to the other chair. 

"Rey, I must tell you, I'm so grateful you were able to reach us when you did. Every one of us owes you and Chewie our life." 

Rey colored at the praise with a small smile but didn't say anything. 

Leia continued, "As much as I would like to let you have some time to yourself, I really need to discuss some things with you." Leia leaned in. "Please tell me what happened when you found Luke."

Rey felt a slight release. For some reason, she had expected Leia to ask about Ben, even though she hadn't told anyone about their connection. She told Leia much the same of what she told Finn. Leia sat looking at her solemnly, turning Rey's story over in her mind. Rey stretched out and felt the energy coming off of Leia. There was less despair there than she would have expected. She couldn't sense whispers of thought the way she could with Finn, but the impression she got was that Leia was trying to decide how far she could trust Rey.

"I wish I could be of more help, but I didn't learn much. And now that Luke is gone... How can we save the Resistance without the Jedi?"

Leia raised an eyebrow at her. "You know, I didn't become a General and lead decades of Resistance fighters against the most powerful government in the galaxy by putting all my eggs in one basket."

Rey frowned, "What?"

Leia cocked her head slightly, puzzled by Rey's confusion. "Rey, hasn't it occurred to you that the Resistance has never had the help of the Jedi?" 

No. Rey had never thought about it. She'd been too focused on the idea of bringing Luke back, and then on the idea of turning Ben to the light. Once again, she realized that she had been over simplifying the situation, choosing hasty action instead of scrupulous thought. Luke's words burned in the back of her mind. "You think, What? I'm going to walk out with a laser sword and face down the whole First Order?" In the end that was exactly what he did. But rather than end the war, his sacrifice merely bought the remainder of the Resistance time for one precarious escape. Why hadn't she thought about this before? She scolded herself for being so impetuous. Hubris, Luke warned. Perhaps she was a Jedi, she thought wryly, she certainly had their faults. 

Rey jerked her attention back to Leia, who rose from her seat and was striding across the room. Something in her mannerisms reminded her of Ben, and she buried the thought as soon as it came. Leia gestured to the map displayed on the wall screen, the one that Rey had followed to find Luke. 

"I sincerely wanted Luke back, and did believe that having a Jedi Master to counteract Snoke's darkness would bolster our rebellion. But I also knew it was a long shot..." 

Leia quieted for a moment, and Rey could feel her struggling to hold back tears. 

"To be honest, my desperation to find Luke was more personal than political. I never really got a clear picture of what happened the night the academy was destroyed. The only information I had as to why my family was ripped apart was a vague transmission from Luke saying that he had failed Ben, and me, and that he was leaving. Other than that, there were only a few reports from Republic officials that investigated the death and destruction. I lost my son and my brother at the same time. I just wanted to know why."

Though Leia was still turned away from her, Rey could see her brush tears from her face and make an effort to compose herself. When she turned back, Leia had an air of relief around her, as if this admission had alleviated some of her burden.

"No, I never bet the overthrow of the First Order or the success of the Resistance entirely on Luke's return."

Rey stared at Leia, thoroughly dumbfounded. Leia returned to her seat across from Rey and studied her face intently. 

"Right now, all I need from you is trust. I know you don't know me well yet. I hope I have given you as much reason to trust me as you have given me to trust you.”

There was no need for Leia to even ask. Between this heartfelt anecdote she shared and the recent realizations Rey had come upon in the last few hours, she felt her resolve solidified. Leia seemed to pick up on Rey's determination, because she didn't wait for an outright answer. This must be what it's like to be around other Force sensitive people. Communication is almost effortless. 

"Excellent. Thank you for your confidence, Rey. We still have some time before we reach our destination, so get something to eat and rest up." 

Sensing the dismissal, Rey nodded and headed for the door.

"Oh, and Rey," with her hand still on the door, she turned back. Leia had a twinkle in her eye and the hint of a smile on her face. "Perhaps, if you get bored, you could start delving into those ancient Jedi texts." 

Rey's eyes nearly popped out of her head as she once again found herself speechless.

Leia chuckled. "Don't look so shocked, I know every smuggling hold in this trap. I came across them while rummaging for supplies."

Rey made an effort to close her mouth and nodded again, since her voice seemed to have left her permanently. 

Walking back to the common area, Rey felt numb. Running from the First Order, escaping Star Killer base, going on the long range mission to find Luke, none of it had shocked her the way the revelations of the last few hours had. Trying to absorb the convoluted nature of this conflict and the people involved was far more overwhelming than zealous action. She was far more suited to taking orders and carrying them out than deciphering motives and conscientious strategizing. Perhaps that was why it had been easy for her to submit to Leia's leadership. Or maybe it was Leia's enticing sincerity that Rey could feel so abundantly. Either way, she could see the need for improvement. The force was about balance, so she couldn't help bring peace to the galaxy if she was all leap and no look. 

Everyone was awake now, some were milling around the room, others stood in small groups talking in low voices. Rey felt their attention turn to her as she entered the room. The emotions coming off the group were varied, ranging from curiosity to outright distrust. Rey didn't feel like she could cope with the tumult, so she strode purposefully over to where Finn was checking on an unconscious comrade. Finn gave her a small smile as she came to stand beside him, then returned his attention to the girl. Rey looked her over. She was around their age, with spikey pieces of unkempt hair framing her face. She didn't appear to have any major cuts or burns, but she did have a black eye that was painfully swollen and her face was badly scratched down that same side. It was possible her cheekbone was fractured.

"What happened?" Rey finally asked.

"Ski speeder accident," Finn replied. "She was trying to save my life."

Rey felt guilt roll off Finn. His thoughts were unclear, but she could tell he regretted something he did, felt that it led to her injury. Rey reached her hand out to hover just above the girl, then closed her eyes and reached out with the force. She could feel Finn holding his breath, watching her. She gently probed the girl's energy, then pushed deeper.

"She has a concussion, and a hairline crack in the bone under her eye. But they are repairing, she just needs to be monitored for now, and she should wake up on her own." Rey opened her eyes and lowered her hand, again regarding the girl from the outside. Finn was looking at her in awe, but also with an understanding.

"I thought so too," he said. "But I then I thought maybe I was just being optimistic, because I wanted her to get better."

"What's her name?"

"Rose.”

Rey found it slightly humorous, such a delicate name on a girl that was so obviously rough and tumble. She gave a minute smile. "Rose will be fine, Finn."

"Thank you, Rey." Finn smiled too, feeling somewhat comforted. "Ready for breakfast?"

"I'm starving!" Rey said with an exaggerated groan, clutching her stomach. Finn wrinkled his nose at her theatrics, but couldn't hide the amusement in his eyes. "I'm also ready to hear the story of what you've been up to, weren't you taking a nap while I was traversing the outer reaches?"

Finn laughed genuinely as they walked to the mess hall. "Oh, I have stories for you. But it's going to take more than one breakfast to get through it all!" 

Rey shoveled mouthfuls of goopy rations into her mouth while Finn talked about waking up during the firefight, his escapades on Canto Bight, getting captured, and his fight with Phasma, and finally his bad decision to try to take out the Battering Ram cannon that ended in Rose's injury. Finn had admitted to originally trying to run, to get the binary beacon away from the battle so Rey wouldn't fly straight into an assault. She could feel his shame at attempting to abandon the Resistance, but she could also sense the underlying emotion, an insistent need to keep her safe. Rey couldn't help but be touched. Finn was more caring than any associate she had ever had. More so than her own family. The thought stung her and she pushed it aside, turning her attention elsewhere. 

"Do you know where we are going?" She asked.

Finn shook his head thoughtfully. "No one knows. Leia put in the coordinates herself. So only Chewie has seen them." They both lapsed into silence, suddenly entangled in questions about the future. Their train of thought was interrupted by a call for everyone to meet in the common area. Without a word, they both abandoned their food and headed to the meeting.

Once everyone was present, Leia began speaking.

"I know every one of you is reeling from the catastrophic events we've endured as of late. And I wish that I could offer you a measure of comfort and rest. But we are in the heart of war. If we allow any leeway to our enemy, we will be completely overrun. We must rise up from this disaster and show ourselves courageous. We must continue undaunted, rattling the foundations of the First Order and offering hope to the galaxy."

It was a rousing speech, and Rey was duly stirred, but not everyone was so moved.

"You must be joking." A tall, thin man with a cutting voice spoke up. Leia turned disapproving eyes on the man, but let him speak.

The man seemed to waiver slightly at her gaze, but then continued. "We aren't an army anymore, General. We are barely a crew of outsiders! What do you possibly expect us to do against the First Order? We're being PUMMELLED." 

Leia considered the man for a moment. "I understand your frustration. I do. It seems dire. But I've told you exactly what I expect you to do. In fact," she turned from facing the man to address everyone in the room. "I've met individually with all of you and asked you for just one thing, your implicit trust in me and in this Resistance."

And just as Leia finished this sentence, the Millennium Falcon dropped out of hyperspace, directly in front of a First Order Star Destroyer.


	4. Learning Curve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suddenly she was walking through a lavish ballroom. The people were in high spirits, this was some kind of celebration. There were couples dancing to the orchestral music, people were drinking and laughing. Not far away now, stood Kylo Ren shaking hands with some sort of dignitaries. Rey stood, taken aback. This was a First Order affair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7YM9gAVeMs - Light Em Up by Fall Out Boy  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8X3ACToii0 - Savior by Rise Against  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpSvo95XVas - Die For You by RED

In her new accommodations Rey awoke in a cold sweat, gasping for breath. She could still feel her lungs blistering. She looked around wildly, realizing there was no fire, only the sparse provisions of her personal bunk. She was grateful for the private space as she battled down the engulfing panic. She was sure she must have cried out, but there was no one around to disturb. She snapped up the glass of water on the bedside table and drained it, finally getting control of her breathing and chaotic heartbeat. She sat for sometime in the dark, going over what had caused her to awake so terrified. She could remember only a murky silhouette of the dream. An immense ballroom filled with superbly dressed people. In the midst, a sudden conflagration, ravaging hundreds of lives, suffering echoed through the galaxy. And she had been there, felt the flames eat away her flesh. It didn't make sense, she had hardly ever been around fire. She only ever experienced the occasional sunburn. It took a long time before she was able to sleep again, and so it was with slow step and bleary eyes that she arrived in the morning to breakfast.

A server droid handed her a plate, the rations already dispensed. She shuffled to a back corner where the majority of those who had been on the Falcon still huddled together. Rey could feel that they were all still reeling from shock. Just yesterday Leia had revealed some unbelievable truths: Not only were there still many surviving members of the Resistance, but a vast quantity of them lived on and managed a commandeered Star Destroyer. The ship maintained contact with the First Order and everyone within was clothed in standard military gear, effectively allowing the Resistance to operate right under their nose. When Poe recovered from his initial astonishment, he had been furious. He had completely lost his temper with Leia, in spite of his respect and affection for her. They argued at length, Poe proposing that this Star Destroyer could have won them nearly every recent battle, and Leia lecturing him on not tipping your hand to a superior adversary. In the end, Poe stormed off in a rage, leaving the dispute unresolved. The whole situation had everyone shaken and a little distrusting.

Rey seated herself next to Finn, who also looked tired. They ate in silence until Leia made her way over to address the group.

"I've spoken with Commander Paraton; she will be working on finding commissions for each of you and assimilating us into the crew. Please cooperate with the schedules and uniforms you are assigned." No one responded.

"I understand how difficult this must be for all of you," Leia continued, kindly looking them all over. Rey noticed that Poe wouldn't meet her eye, and she could tell that he felt slightly sick at Leia's conciliatory warmth. "But we have to forge ahead without delay. The First Order has suffered a severe blow, and we must use every moment of their disruption to our advantage. Captain Golst has received confirmation... Supreme Leader Snoke is dead." Everyone froze. Poe's head snapped up as he finally looked to the General. "How?" Someone finally managed to question.

"How, indeed." Leia said with an entertained look. "Apparently, the Resistance is being blamed." Leia moved to leave, but Poe was up and in front of her in a shot, his earlier indignation now replaced with incredulity. "General... we did NOT do this. The Supreme Leader? We never could have gotten anywhere near harming him."

Leia nodded. "All the more reason for us to facilitate the rebellion. We may have more support than we ever thought possible."

And with that, Leia broke away, leaving them to absorb yet another upset. Rey knew she must be as pale as a solar sail, but everyone seemed too caught up in the news to notice. Except Finn. He was watching her openly, searching her face as if he could tell there was more going on in her mind than anyone else's. Rey turned her attention back to her food and finished the plate. As soon as she finished, she made her way out of the mess hall. Finn caught up to her in the hall.

"Rey! Where are you going?" "To my bunk, I guess... Leia wanted me to do some...studying." She gave Finn a small smile. "Until I get assigned a job, of course." "Would you like a tour first?" he asked. She cocked her head and looked at him dubiously. Finn grinned. "I used to work in one of these, remember?"

Rey had to admit, the ship was pretty interesting once she started paying attention. Since these destroyers were built for combat, everything was meticulously placed to keep the craft operating even when under attack. The most important systems were all housed deep in the distended belly of the ship, protected from direct offense. Although the primary command deck was fairly exposed on top, there were secondary control systems buried further down. Nearly every system had redundancies that prevented them from being taken completely offline in a firefight. Rey's favorite part of the ship was the outer ring of the top deck, just below primary command. Every room on this level had a massive casement looking out onto the stars. There was an assortment of board rooms, holo processors, and even some quarters for the gunners, since the main cannons sat right above them. Rounding another bend, they came to a massive door. It would open into a room at the very front of the ship. Finn pushed the doors open with a flourish, and bowed grandly as he gestured to an enormous training arena.

"What is this place?" Rey asked in awe.

"This is where stormtroopers are put through drills. Behind that division is an insulated target range for blasters. There's a sparring ring on this side, and back there is a variety of weapons and training holos. That door at the back..." Finn turned suddenly toward the door they had come in through. Rey followed his gaze, but there was no one there. Finn seemed to be staring into space, and then he said something in almost a whisper, as if talking to himself.

"What?" Rey asked aloud, baffled at what could have suddenly arrested his attention.

Finn blinked, and turned back to her, no longer looking far away. "I just thought..." before he could finish, his communicator beeped. Finn answered and Rey heard Poe asking Finn to come to the med bay right away. They hurried down the corridor to the first conveyor that would drop them in the vicinity of the primary med bay. Finn already had the hint of a smile on his face as they stumbled in the door. In a bed just to the left, Rose was awake and sitting up in the lounge, talking to Poe. Finn let out a laugh. "Haa! I knew it! I was just thinking about you and I got the call to come to the med bay!" Finn bounded over and gave Rose an exuberant hug, which she returned. Rose was still badly bruised, but the swelling from her face was gone and the rash of bloody cuts had been completely erased. "How are you feeling?" Finn asked.

"Terrible!" Rose responded with a sigh, leaning her head back against the lounge. Rey didn't need to use the force to see that Rose was still weak. Finn's face clouded a bit. "Don't ever do anything stupid like that again!" He ordered. Rose cracked open one eye, "No problem, if saving you is going to give me a headache like this every time, I'd rather let you get yourself killed."

That made Finn snicker and Poe laugh. Then Finn said, "Rose, this is my friend Rey." And gestured back to her. Rey came forward. "Nice to meet you, Rose. I'm glad you're doing ok, Finn was very worried." Rose sat up quickly, "Rey! I've heard about you! Did you find Master Luke? Is he here too? Ow!" Rose put a hand to her forehead and squeezed her eyes shut. She'd sat up too quickly and paid for it. She slumped back into the lounge. Rey felt for her, and reached out with the force, again sensing her condition. She had healed quite a bit under the care of the med droids, but was still recovering. She needed something to eat and then rest. "I promise to tell you all about it when you're feeling better. For now, though, I think Finn better go get you something from the kitchen and Poe can let Leia know that you are awake." The girls then turned their eyes to the two men who stood motionless for a moment, surprised at unexpectedly being given orders. Both seemed to come to their senses at the same time and head off to their respective destinations amid a chorus of, "Umm, right" "Of course" "Be right back". The girls shared a chuckle as they watched them go. Rose lowered the back of the lounge and leaned into it, looking as if she was going to fall asleep before Finn could make it back.

"Rey? How did you and Finn meet?"

She smiled at the memory. "I knocked him to the ground with my staff and accused him of stealing Poe's jacket." Rose didn't open her eyes but she smiled broadly.

"That's Poe's jacket he's always wearing?" Rose couldn't contain her laugh. "Those two are worse than girls!"

It was Rey's turn to laugh aloud. She understood the humor of it but felt a twinge of longing. She'd never had a close friend to joke with and share things. Just some of the other scavengers to try and converse with, but no one had time for friendship. She just knew Rose would be an easy friend to make once they have time. Something to look forward to. Rose interrupted her thoughts with another question, “I like your accent. Are you from Coruscant?”

Just then, Finn got back with a tray of hot food. He must have pulled some strings to get it, it wasn't the usual rations. Rey excused herself while Finn helped Rose sit up, slowly this time. “We'll talk more later, Rose. I promise. I want you to get some rest now. Take care of her, Finn.”

She headed back to her room, a nagging thought quietly pinging in the back of her mind. She couldn't quite get a hold of it, and idly wondered if she could use the force to extract information from her own mind. Perhaps the answer was in the Jedi texts. She picked one at random, and dropped onto her cot. The information was dryly transmitted. It seemed the text she had chosen was not so much a lesson book and more of a dictionary, simply explaining terminology and theory. She fell fast asleep just 3 pages in. . .

Suddenly she was walking through a lavish ballroom. The people were in high spirits, this was some kind of celebration. There were couples dancing to the orchestral music, people were drinking and laughing. As she passed through the crowd, she noticed a young man with deep set eyes. He did not appear to be enjoying the festivities. His features seemed to waiver between anger and despair. He was staring at her, not trying to disguise it at all. He moved past her, now focusing intently ahead. He wasn't looking at her, he was looking past her, at something beyond. She tried to reach out with the force to touch his mind and understand what was happening, but she couldn't. It was as if a sheet had been tossed over his feelings, she couldn't get the sense of them at all. She had to follow to see what was happening.

The young man rounded a thick group of chattering girls, and when Rey came around she could see what he was fixated on. Straight in front of him, not far away now, stood Kylo Ren shaking hands with some sort of dignitaries. Rey stood, taken aback. This was a First Order affair. That didn't make sense. Why would she ever be at a gala hosted by the First Order? More importantly how could she be in such close vicinity to Ben and he couldn't sense it? Now she could feel it distinctly around her. The concerns of all these people orbited around their own comfort and profit. They were elated by the prospect of what the new Supreme Leader, so young and temperamental, would do for them. Surely having such an easily provoked tyrant would guarantee the flow of weapons and armaments for years to come. Greed was oozing from every pore in the room. Rey turned her attention back to the young man, who was waiting his turn to congratulate the Supreme Leader. Just as they reached to shake hands, Rey noticed an object in the young man's other hand. A device, or remote of some kind. Realization dawned on her just as the young man hit the trigger, and the scream died in her throat as she was incinerated. . .

Rey again woke choking, still feeling the agony of being roasted alive. For a moment all she could do was lay back and let the tears flow. The dream had been so much clearer this time, and the torment was palpable. Both the sense of her own death and the massacre of those around her, which included Ben. This made her twist in pain again. Though they had separated on less than amicable terms, she still felt an attachment to him. She missed their force bond, and the privacy and honesty it had afforded them. Rey groaned aloud, she didn't want to think about Ben right now. But she couldn't go back to sleep either, the dream was too chilling. She looked at the time. She had slept through lunch, but it was almost time for the evening meal service. The prospect of food was just what she needed.

Ben stepped off of the transmission pad, feeling some of his disquiet mitigated. He prepared a transmission delegating the capture of the Millennium Falcon and the last of the rebels to the league of bounty hunters. The terms were very specific. All persons involved with the Resistance were to be captured and brought directly to his ship to be tried by the First Order as war criminals. No disintegrations were permitted, the insurgents must be delivered alive and relatively sound in order for payment to be received. It was an elegant solution. No First Order resources would be squandered, his attention could remain on the business of establishing himself as Supreme Leader, and no one could question the wisdom of disposing of that particular thorn in the First Order's side in a public spectacle.

Leaving the holo chamber, Ben began pacing the corridors of the ship much as he had done his first restless night back on board. His next task was to address the Knights of Ren. They were his closest companions, bound in training and duty. But Snoke had wrenched their minds unnaturally for a decade, and early on he had isolated Ben, choosing him as an apprentice and making him master over the other knights. There was no way for him to anticipate how they would receive him now, even though they had all been released from Snoke's domination at the moment of his death. There were residual effects from such corruption. He could feel an incurable obscurity, like an oily contusion moldering within. The evidence was there, in the way his hands would shake; the way minor irritations would nearly provoke him to butchery. Was there any chance the knights had fared better? He would soon find out.

He reached the council room where the Knights had been called. Traditionally, the Knights would have been summoned to the Supreme Leader in the throne room, but Ben couldn't stomach stationing himself there. The place swam with contesting emotions- memories too recent. He would not be able to achieve the stability needed to guide the Knights of Ren.

Ben entered the chamber from a door that opened onto a subtly raised platform. The six Knights acknowledged him, dropping to one knee and placing fists to their chests. The gesture eased Ben, and finding his breath, he inhaled deeply and reached out. Anxiety. That was most substantial emotion coming from the group. Ben reached farther, brushing the individual feelings of each Knight. Some were confused, fervently awaiting an explanation, one or two were actually grieving, feeling incomplete without a presence in their mind. Emanating from all of them was a feeling of consolation at his presence. Whatever murky side effects persisted, they were still his Knights. Bolstered by this realization, he began to speak. “Comrades...”

Concluding his session with the Knights, Ben found himself drawn to the deck of the auxiliary ship. It hadn't been his intention to secret himself away, but he recognized it was what he needed. Here, he found an absurd measure of peace just peering out at the stars and distant systems. This place was a reprieve, a connection to the force that he wouldn't have thought possible in a man made structure, especially one designed for war. They were drawing close to Silbatta now, the shuttles were being prepared for transport to the surface. Ben closed his eyes and perceived the planet below. At first, it was just a maelstrom of commotion. But then the system seemed to clear, as if areas on a map were being colored in. He could sense the predominant concerns, reactions and sentiments of the creatures in each area. As his consciousness flowed along the path of the force, he could even magnify certain vicinities more specifically. There were localities of poverty, and expanses of affluence. He became aware that if he focused a little more, he could plausibly decipher singular beings in the mob. Just as he considered trying, a resonance, as clear as a spoken word, brought him back to the ship.

Still joined with the force, he cast about the vessel, until pinpointing the source. It was Hux. He was moments from giving the order to start boarding the shuttles and he was perturbed at the Supreme Leader's absence. Hux's agitation amused Ben, so he luxuriated a while longer, then headed to the docking bay.

The shuttle ride down to the planet had boosted his mood more than he ever would have anticipated. He traveled with his Knights, an escort of elite bodyguards, and Hux. Whereas the Knights and bodyguards exuded support and confidence in his recent appointment, Hux seethed. Disapproval undulated off of him like a billowing fog. Even more satisfying, Hux knew there was nothing he could do to prevent it. The knowledge that he would not only have to accept Kylo Ren as Supreme Leader, but also be subservient to him, made him writhe. Ben kept a somber face, but found Hux's torment rather entertaining. Hux had so often reveled in playing the antagonist, disgracing Ben in pursuit of his own advancement. Having him thus entangled was undeniably gratifying. Ben felt the seductive power of being Supreme Leader. He would soon have the lives of entire systems in the palm of his hand, his to control. To change how he saw fit. It was with this determination that he exited the shuttle and marched into the core of the First Order ministry.

On the Star Destroyer Oblivion the mood at dinner was light. Finn and Poe were elated now that Rose was awake, and everyone felt more at ease knowing that Supreme Leader Snoke was dead. Rey was buoyed by everyone else's good humor and the large portion of rations crowning her plate. She stayed quiet, letting her mind wander through the various conversations and tucking into her food. Finn and Poe were having some discussion about the merits of different ground speeders, another group was discussing their new assignments as part of the crew, a few were concerned that the Star Destroyer could get called to action against those who were sympathetic to the rebellion. Before Rey could decide if this was a valid concern, Finn announced that he was going to deliver a plate to Rose. He gave her shoulder an affectionate squeeze and headed off to hassle the server droids. Rey watched him go, then turned back to her food. When she was nearly finished she felt eyes on her and looked up. Poe was staring at her, half smirk on his face.

"So I hear you could fly this thing." He said it like a challenge, and Rey felt herself get defensive.

"You bet I could, I'm not such a bad pilot myself." She said with a self satisfied smirk that matched his.

Poe laughed heartily at this, all the smugness gone in an instant. "Good. I'm rounding up everyone with flight experience and familiarizing them with the command controls on this First Order heap. Do you have time for a tour right now?"

Rey eagerly accepted. The Command room was a busy operation, with multiple stations monitoring nearly every ship system. It was entirely different than piloting small craft. There were major and minor controls that needed to be considered when maneuvering this behemoth. Rey felt herself getting overwhelmed, and the speed at which Poe covered everything was giving her a headache. At one point when Poe turned away to fiddle with some switches, she closed her eyes and pressed her palms against them trying to ease the growing soreness. On instinct, she took a deep breath and slowly let it out. A picture of the console in front of her came to mind, then, what was behind it. She found she was able to follow wiring and processes. Suddenly, the sequence Poe was explaining started to make perfect sense, she could see it as it happened. Poe stopped talking, and Rey felt his energy color with irritation.

"I'm sorry, am I boring you?"

Rey opened her eyes and realized how she must look, eyes closed, turned slightly away, peaceful expression on her face.

"No, no... Poe, I was following the procedures with the force, watching them happen from within. It's almost like a meditation exercise. It just happened. I'd like to try again?"

Poe frowned and regarded her suspiciously for a moment. Finally he said, "Alright, Your Forceliness, tell me how you would initiate a jump to lightspeed."

Rey closed her eyes again, and stretched her hand out over the console. It took a moment for her to find the controls she was looking for but once she recognized it, she easily related step by step precisely how to compute the jump to lightspeed.

Poe glowered at her. "Follow a tracker?"

Rey again reached out. Following a tracker was a simple exercise, and Rey answered almost instantly.

Poe was trying to cover his growing annoyance, and failing. "Arming the cannons,” he said tersely.

Rey opened her eyes for a moment. This was not something Poe had covered in his earlier instruction. But Rey was gaining steam with this force technique, so she pushed ahead, sifting through machinery and signals until she found the path. When she was sure she had it, she smiled, "Just...like...this" and switched all the forward cannons from dormant to attack mode.

Instantly, an alarm blared to life and the room filled with tension. Commander Paraton started barking questions at the crew and everyone scrambled to discover the source of the warning signal. It didn't take long for confirmation and Commander Paraton reported to the Captain.

"A manual override engaged the forward cannons into attack mode. Absence of authorization triggered the alarm."

The Captain gave the order to disengage the cannons and silence the alarm. Rey was just as startled as any of them at the siren, but once the matter had been handled, all she could think was how amazing it felt. She had infiltrated a system she wasn't even familiar with and made it yield to her command! She could probably do it with any system on this ship, likely she didn't even need to be on the...

"Rey, WHAT THE HELL?" Poe's infuriated voice rang out, startling her from her thoughts.

Rey was still a bit elated, already thinking of ways this might be of use. Her pleased demeanor was taken quickly at being hollered at. "I didn't know I could do that, you... you hadn't explained the cannons yet, and I found the path..."

Poe cut her off, "I think that's enough training for today." He looked away, breathing hard; he was really angry. No need for the force to see that. Rey wanted to say something possibly to justify, or defend the amazing ability she had just opened. But she could feel the dread in the people around her and she knew that Poe would only keep this shaky handle on his temper if she stayed silent. She felt sudden indignation at the horrified reactions surrounding her. Couldn't they understand how important this was, how beneficial this could be to the Resistance? Rey turned toward the exit and started to storm out. But something made her stop mid-stride. She turned to face Captain Golst and looked him in the eye.

"I'm Sorry." She said.

The Captain returned her gaze, and offered her a stiff nod. At that Rey fled the room. She was walking distractedly down the hallway. “Is there really so few people who understand the force? And that I'm LEARNING?! Of course I didn't understand it not so long ago... nothing happened, I don't know why everyone was so jumpy...” She headed straight for the training facilities. She was too agitated to try to sleep, and concerned that doing so would just lead to another nightmare of being burned to death. She hurled the bulky doors apart with a flick of her fingers and slammed them shut behind her. Finn hadn't finished showing her all the accessories available, but she knew what she wanted and where to find it.

In the back left corner beside a target area was a door to a supply room. She selected a humanoid mannequin and used the force to drag it to the combat circle. This is getting easier she thought, good practice. Her staff was still on the Millennium Falcon, but there were a few varieties on one weapon rack. She selected a sleek black one that was tapered at both ends. In the circle she stalked around the dummy as if it were prey. Though held up by a metal rod that went through it's center, the figure was outfitted with arms and legs, and was covered in a bodysuit. The fabric would show exactly where each blow landed, Rey realized. No longer hesitating, she unleashed all the resentment and embarrassment she had been holding onto. It felt to her like Poe had goaded her into taking things too far. Rey's emotions whipped around her in a tempest, and she gave them free reign, replaying the events in Primary Command over in her head. Her initial outrage at the crew's reaction dissipated quickly. She could feel how apprehensive everyone was with just the task of directing a stolen Star Destroyer alone. The alarm itself was what summoned their horror, rousing fears of discovery by the First Order, or a malfunction that could jeopardize lives. It was not her or her ability that sparked their consternation. She was glad she said her apology to the Captain.

Poe's reaction, on the other hand, was something else. She had the feeling Poe simply didn't like being shown up, especially in a cockpit, and certainly not by a junker from nowhere. She felt his growing disquiet at her effortless understanding of that complicated system. Her tripping the authorization alarm had simply given him a convenient alley through which to vent his frustration. He wouldn't be receiving the same apology; she would never be ashamed of her ability with the force. Rey savagely tore the left arm of the dummy from its body and watched in surprise as it was tossed through the air. She hadn't realized how destructively she was battling the immobile object. A few more swings and slashes, more focus, energy, release. This was what her body was used to, exhausting and draining every thought with physical activity daily. She hadn't sat idle this much since the sandstorm a year and a half ago on Jakku when she was unable to leave her little home or risk getting lost in the storm. In the last few weeks with the Resistance she learned more about people and the universe than she ever thought she'd get the chance to.

Rey forced herself to pause, now realizing how fast her breath was coming. She closed her eyes and leaned against the staff, concentrating on centering herself. When her breathing came under control she opened her eyes to see, not the training room, but a ballroom. This time... it could not be a dream.

Ben's speech had gone marvelously. He had felt it during his delivery, the rush his words were giving to the enraptured audience. He stuck close enough to decorum to satisfy the military, while hinting tantalizingly at changes to come. And now he was enjoying the final course at the banquet that followed. He did not take for granted his skill with the force during this time of palavering with politicians, blathering small talk didn't come easily to him. But this time needn't be wasted, he could feel what each of them wanted, what each one secretly schemed, without having to try to decipher it from groomed dialogue. There would be no hurtle to instituting change with these sycophants. Ben schooled his features and didn't let on how intimately he was scrutinizing those around him. An attendant appeared and announced that the gala was soon to begin, and Ben and his entourage were escorted to private accommodations to prepare.

As much as his force sense had been a boon at the banquet, it was nearly a liability at the festivities that followed. The colossal ballroom was gorged with people, each one with a different temperament. So many were coming and going, the emotions among them fluctuating so quickly, the sense was starting to give him a headache. He would have preferred to omit this part of his inauguration, but the Silbattan ambassador who was guiding him through the etiquette of the occasion had impressed upon him the necessity of attending. She had also persuaded him to leave his personal bodyguard and the Knights of Ren in a parlor that was adjacent to the ballroom, but still irritatingly distant. His contending argument was that having his escort would be a show of strength. "And that is why they should stay back. The people already know you are formidable, now they must see that you are approachable. You will also afford your host great honor, by showing that you trust him with your safety."

It was sage advice, and Ben wasn't worried about any actual danger, so he acquiesced. Now, though, in the presence of all these people and their sentiments, he missed the stability that the company of like minded force users provided. The thoughts and feelings of the crowd poured over him like an endless deluge. When there was a slight break in the flow of people fawning over him, he excused himself to get a drink. While he waited on the server droid to bring him the concoction, he closed his eyes and breathed, this time reaching inside himself. It was like closing a window. Flipping a switch. He was still aware of what was going on around him, but he had sheltered himself from the sting of raw emotion whipping through the room. A technique he learned young, so that he could mask his own force signature. Whether from his mother when he was hiding from punishment or from Luke so he could have peace and quiet for a moment.

He opened his eyes as the server droid placed the beverage in front of him. There really was no need for it, he could already feel the tension easing, so he rejoined his host feeling somewhat revived.

Rey was realizing this was more than just familiar. She began looking for Ben and he was nowhere in sight. She ambled through the party, scouring the crowds. Instead of Ben, she found herself looking upon the young man with deep set eyes and the wretched expression. He was staring at something a ways off. At Ben, she realized. Rey didn't hesitate, she had to get to him first. She spotted a cushioned bench to her left and climbed it. She didn't even have time to consider if it was a possibility to place her weight on it, just knew she needed to find the most activity in the room, where Ben would be. Now elevated she plotted a path through the guests to reach him as quickly as possible. Just as she moved to get down, she caught sight of the young man now beginning to weave through the masses as well. Rey launched herself through the people, squirming her way through. The young man was moving more slowly. He must look natural, just another well wisher, no one of importance. He forced a smile as he approached. 

Ben felt more at ease now that the feelings of the entire throng were not pressing down upon him.  And though the ambassador assigned to him had made it impossible for him to refuse the festivities entirely, she had been astute enough to teach him a local phrase that would allow him to decline offers to dance without offending anyone. The idea of escorting these wealth mongers across the dance floor and putting up with their flattery and propositions sickened him. But he had been spared from every lascivious dance and at this point the formal affair was drawing to a close. It made him wonder if Snoke ever lowered himself to be among such pitiful creatures in his eyes, to condescend himself enough just for this amount of attention. This is definitely more Hux's territory. He was now the attention of a receiving line, persons stopping momentarily to congratulate him and show their support, then moving on.  His mind was wandering, looking forward to a restful night.

Then there was a sharp crack, felt rather than heard.  Like a stone crashing through a window. It was Rey. Rey was here. Standing off to his right, looking ridiculously simple against the gaudy opulence around them.  Their eyes locked for a moment, then her attention shifted to the person approaching to his left, her eyes dilating with fear.  He could feel her anxiety. The questions written all over his face.

"Look out, Ben! He has a bomb!"  Instantly Ben jabbed his hand out at the haunted looking man bearing down on him. The force knocked the man back and he nearly lost the trigger in his other hand.  The man was flailing and reached for the button. Just as he pressed it Rey screamed. She thrust the man into the air toward the high ceiling and Ben twisted the inferno back into itself.  The blast was so tremendous it took both of them straining together to keep it away from the people.  It didn't take long, with nothing to feed on, the flames incinerated the young man and then died out.   Ben and Rey shared one last look, and she disappeared.


	5. New Perspectives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She closed her eyes and wondered if this could work, how it works. Is it like a two sided door she had to knock on? Did he have to answer? Or was it something neither of them had control over? Perhaps, they both had to be thinking of it at the same time... nevertheless, Rey took a deep breath and reached out.
> 
> Ben lay atop a splendid bed trimmed in black and silver and red. He was leaning back against a mountain of pillows, a hand to his head. He wore soft slate colored pajamas. He looked amazing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd1cRH92984 - Mercy by Shawn Mendes  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKp30wuvy9k- Lie to Me (Denial) by Red

Ben labored with keeping his composure. The appearance and subsequent disappearance of Rey had shaken him far more than the attempt on his life, however the affected part of him still yearned to snap the necks of everyone in sight. And he very nearly did, the reaction of the crowd was so unexpected, it almost seemed like another attack. Before vengeance could take hold, he picked up on the over all sentiment of the room. He could feel it acutely again, Rey had freed him from the barrier behind which he hid his force sense. The guests went wild with admiration. They applauded and shouted with genuine reverence. The Knights of Ren erupted onto the scene, surrounding Ben in a protective circle. He waved them down with a gesture and a mental assurance that he was in no danger. They followed his directive, but remained wary. It was no surprise they had pushed their way in, they would have picked up on this profound use of the force. Stabilized by his comrades, Ben strode up to his host. "I've had enough of the festivities for tonight. I hope you'll have an explanation for this disruption to my good humor by breakfast." His words had the intended affect. His devoted host turned pale, and Ben stalked off to his private accommodations before he could answer. 

Rey found herself back in the training room, arm still extended. She had thrown the dummy across the entire expanse and it lay in a mangled heap at the entrance to the supply room. She felt weak with effort, and allowed herself to drop to floor. Sitting with her knees tucked under her chin, she stared at nothing. She couldn't make sense of what had happened. She couldn't imagine why she would have a vision of an attack directed at Ben. She did know that she had felt an irrefutable need to save him. To... save him. 

Her actions had nothing to do with keeping the other lives glutting that ballroom from harm. She had been focused on him alone. And she couldn't regret it. Rey shook herself, trying to find some of the old animosity she used to have for Ben, but it was gone. It had been replaced by concern and camaraderie. They were so different, but the more they connected, the more she felt like she understood him, and he understood her, like no one else could. It was a despondent thought, she was surrounded by excellent people, but light years away inside. With Ben she felt an intertwining of spirit, but distanced physically and in purpose. With this somber realization she picked herself up off the floor and went in search of a hot bath. When she had washed away the strain of the day, she went back to her room, latched the door and leaned back against it. She closed her eyes and wondered if this could work, how it works. Is it like a two sided door she had to knock on? Did he have to answer? Or was it something neither of them had control over? Perhaps, they both had to be thinking of it at the same time... nevertheless, Rey took a deep breath and reached out.

Ben lay atop a splendid bed trimmed in black and silver and red. He was leaning back against a mountain of pillows, a hand to his head. He wore soft slate colored pajamas. He looked amazing. Rey had to swallow down the tension in her chest and tried to tuck away the distracting thoughts that were grasping for purchase in her mind. She felt relief that her reaching was successful, tempered with hesitance at what to do, what to say, how to act.

Ben's eyes shifted from the ceiling to where she stood. "You.” He said slowly, almost pained, “Why are you here?" his voice was not loud, but it was cutting. She wasn't sure how to respond, she was here because she barely understood what had happened just a couple hours earlier. Because she needed someone to talk to and there was no one else. Because working together with the force, their unity in the ballroom, drew her to him like a magnet. 

Ben finally rose from the bed and took a step towards her, does he realize he does it? She thought back to their first encounters. His slow tentative steps forward, she never wanted to back away. "Why were you in that ballroom? Why didn't you just let him kill me?"

Rey found her voice. "I didn't want you to die...I'm not...I'm not your enemy." 

"No? You would have struck me down in the throne room without a moment's hesitation." Ben's pain at the memory tore through her like a lightning bolt. 

"That's not what I wanted either." 

Ben grunted. "You wanted me to stop the attack on the fleet, run off to join the Rebellion." Rey now stepped toward him. "YES. We could have ended this war. Right then. Together. "

The sentiment that word carried hung heavy in the air between them for an endless moment. Ben sighed and broke eye contact, leaning back against the tall bedpost. He had to admit that she could have killed him with ease since she woke first. But she left him alive after all. He must give her some credit for that. 

"You really believe that." Rey could feel sadness pooling around him as if it were actually dripping from his veins. "Would you like to see what would have happened?"

Without waiting for an answer, Ben carefully took her hand and played out the scene for her in his mind. She saw the two of them in the throne room. This time at her urging, Ben calls for the attack against the Rebellion to stand down. Hux's face appears in the screen. They argue over unanswerable questions. Hux leads the Knights of Ren to the throne room. Snoke and the Praetorian Guard are dead, Rey is alive and the reason is obvious. The Knights of Ren feel betrayed. Hux orders their deaths and exits the room as it fills with stormtroopers. Even with their superior talents, they can't hold out for long. They are cut down piece by piece. Ben's death comes first, as he tries to prevent Rey from being slaughtered. Rey turns and watches the light go out in his eyes, just as a light saber stabs into her back and out through her chest. Moments after their victory, they are reduced to a heap of bloody carcasses on the floor...

Rey snatched her hand away covering her face; the vision still momentarily progressing in her mind. Hux becomes ruler of the First Order, and there is no one to stem the carnage he causes.

"You...you don't know that for sure," Rey knew she was wrong the instant she said it. Ben had been working with the First Order for years, and it didn't take a genius to figure out what would have happened had they tried to overturn Snoke's final order.

"The Republic has been decimated. The First Order is responsible for structuring most of the Galaxy. What do you think would have happened to those systems if we left the Order in shambles, or allowed Hux to take power?"

Rey had no answer. She wanted to tell him that his offer was no better, that they both would have been consumed by the dark side, plunging the galaxy into destruction. But she wasn't even sure it was true anymore. She had no evidence to support it, only a shaky personal conviction. A fresh tear made its way down her cheek and this time Ben reached to wipe it away, his fingers gingerly stroking her cheek. Rey's breath caught in her chest and again she struggled with remembering why she had come. 

"I think that man was a force user."

Her words snapped the moment between them and Ben looked at her in surprise.

"What?"

Rey squirmed under the weightiness of his stare, trying to explain something she could hardly make sense of herself.

"I saw what was going to happen in a dream... it wasn't clear at first, but the second time I saw that man clearly, followed him through the ballroom, but when I tried to reach out to him... I couldn't feel his emotions, it was like there was a block, I had to watch him approach you, feel the explosion before I understood what was happening. That was how I was able to warn you when it actually happened, but I couldn't sense it from him at all." 

Ben turned and slumped onto the edge of the bed. Gazing at the wall, he said almost to himself, "I didn't feel his impression either." It made sense, though Ben didn't like the implications. Rey was already putting it together.

"I hadn't considered it before, but there must be others like me out there, those who are force sensitive, but not really trained, they just do things on instinct, maybe sense things before they are..." Rey trailed off, and Ben felt a burst of realization course through her. He peered at her curiously, gently stretching out to her deduction. She hurried the thought away before he could seize it, then abruptly closed the bond.

Alone in her own room, Rey contemplated the idea that had been nipping at the back of her brain for days, but had just surged into her conscious mind. Could it be possible? She carefully reviewed the evidence. Searched her feelings. Yes, she was almost positive. But she had been wrong a lot lately. She glanced at the time. It was very late. Nothing she could do to test her theory tonight. She needed to sleep, but wasn't sure she could wind down enough to close her eyes. She looked around her bunk- Jedi texts; perfect. It took less than two pages this time for Rey to drift off. 

 

Ben stared at the space where Rey had been, missing her presence already. He sighed and closed his eyes, again grappling with the theory Rey had placed before him. In times past, Snoke had always sniffed out force sensitives and either recruited or executed them. Those who survived usually ended up as spies or envoys for the First Order. He had never considered that there were some that could hide what they were. Perhaps there was another explanation as well. Those replete with the light were likely difficult to perceive by those steeped in darkness. It wasn't until Rey resisted him that he began to suspect her power. Wasn't it only when they were in combat, and the dark ripples within her gleamed that he could truly sense the endowment of force she possessed? Ben spent most of the night robbed of peace with this theory webbing in his mind. 

The next morning Rey awoke finally feeling a bit refreshed. No longer plagued by nightmares of being scorched, and now she was excited by an entirely new prospect. She dressed quickly and checked the time. She had slept through breakfast and it was already midmorning. She sent a hasty communication and started to leave her room. A beep caught her attention and she turned back. Her message had already been answered. She typed out another quick response and bounded out the door. She waited in the training room, eagerly pacing and making the occasional swipe at nothing with the bow staff she had claimed from the weapons rack. She knew she was a bit too giddy, so she forced herself to pause and do some breathing exercises. She felt the calm start to flow through her, the balance of animation and patience centering her. She embraced it and familiarized herself with this feeling of equilibrium. Then she heard the door crack and smiled broadly as Finn ambled across the room. He looked carefully around the space, seemingly trying to judge if there was a problem. His eyes hesitated for a moment on the spot where she had thrown the dummy, but she had carefully cleaned up the wreckage, so there was no trace of last night's venture. Finally, Finn's gaze landed on her, and apparently satisfied that there was no imminent danger, he relaxed and returned the smile. 

"Thanks for meeting me, I thought you would be at your work assignment."

Finn shook his head, smile growing wry. 

"Nope. Janitors work at night."

Rey's eyes widened as she tried stifle a chuckle. "They put you on sanitation again?"

"No one's better at it than me." Finn replied sticking his nose in the air and grasping the sides of his jacket in mock importance.

Rey snickered again, but quickly sobered when Finn asked, "So what's your assignment? Command Crew?" She flushed with embarrassment and looked to the floor tapping the staff next to her feet. "I haven't gotten an assignment yet... I think I blew my chances at Command Crew." 

Rey didn't look up, she could tell Finn wanted to ask her about it, but instead stepped next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. "I'll put in a request for you with sanitation... you're probably awful at cleaning, but we do need someone to hose out the trash compactors." Rey's melancholy lifted as quickly as it had come and she gave Finn a playful shove.

"So, is that why you called me here? To ask for a job?"

Rey tried to give him a sour look, but her grin peaked through as anticipation tingled inside her. "No. I have a suspicion, and wanted to ask you a few questions." 

Finn put his hands on his hips, intrigued. "Ok, shoot."

"Ok..." Rey started to pace again, her head down, deciding how to approach this. "Remember that first morning on the Millennium Falcon... you said that you thought Rose was going to be ok....Why did you say that?" 

Finn frowned slightly, "I don't know. When ever I would go and check on her, she seemed sort of... strong, even though she was unconscious...and it seemed like she was, um, less uncomfortable as time went on? I just... knew."

Rey nodded carefully listening to his explanation. "And when Leia announced Snoke's death and everyone was shocked, you were watching me instead of paying attention to Leia."

Finn's face clouded a bit. "You didn't seem shocked at all. You seemed... scared, like you had a secret that was about to come out..."

"Then when we were here, and you were explaining the room to me you stopped and looked back and said something..." 

Finn was no longer frowning, but peering at her speculatively. Rey opened her feelings up and watched as Finn's eyes widened.

"You said 'Rose', didn't you? I didn't catch it at first, but later I realized, you knew she was awake before Poe called you." Rey's excitement was brimming again.

Finn's breathing tightened, "Rey, what are you getting at?" 

She dropped her staff and gestured to the floor. "Come and sit with me."

She sat cross legged and Finn mimicked the position in front of her. "Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths." Finn churned with trepidation, so Rey took her time with the breathing, drawing out the harmony she had touched earlier. As she centered, she felt Finn begin to settle as well. When he was focused on his breathing, she instructed him to reach out with his feelings, to tell her what he sensed. He seemed to get a little frustrated, feeling uneasy and self conscious even. She realized how foreign this must seem, it was that way for her the first times she was tapping in to the force. Again she reminded him to focus on not only his breathing but hers. To feel her presence. 

It took a moment, “I guess I feel you. . . it's sort of like all my senses are trying at the same time to picture you in my mind. You have a color, and shape, and shadows, and movement. Are you moving Rey?” He opened his eyes to peek at her. 

“No, that's no me moving. Now, what about all around me? Around us?” 

He shut his eyes tightly again and said, “The room. I can see it in detail...even the target area behind the wall, the storage room... the lights are all working, but it's darker in that corner, like there's a shadow lingering there..."

Rey cut in, delicately. "I placed cushions around us, can you see them?" 

Finn eyes shifted under his lids. Rey could feel his curiosity lingering on the shaded spot in the room, but he followed her direction and focused on a cushion. 

"Use the energy flowing through you to connect to one of them, then raise it into the air."

Rey felt Finn's resolve waiver, so she unfolded the memory of her using the force to lift the rocks from the tunnel outside the rebel base. Finn felt the memory, and viewed from his own perspective. Now the cushion rose into the air, and hovered, trembling for a few seconds, before plummeting back to the ground.

Rey was ecstatic. She knew she was right! Finn was force sensitive! His eyes shot open, “Did I just do that?!”


	6. Expanding Horizons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Ben, Rey and Finn were standing a short distance away, bickering like petulant children. No one had noticed his presence, so he leaned against a station divider and watched the show.  
> After awhile, he noticed Rey stiffen and her eyes darted to where Ben idled. Finn was in a full blown rant when he saw the look on Rey's face change. The protest died in his throat and he put a hand over his eyes and sighed.  
> When he looked up again his eyes were full of regret. "I'm sorry. I know you don't have much experience with this either."  
> Rey stammered, "No...it's my fault. I should have prepared better..."  
> Finn took a step closer and put his hands on her arms. "It's getting late, maybe we should call it a night, and try again tomorrow?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjDojEOiMcE - Everything by Lifehouse  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWXXho5SRxg- Yours Again by Red

Ben woke from a fitful sleep, wrapped nearly to the point of strangulation in the bedsheets. He took his time getting ready, luxuriating in the shower. No one would be up early after last night's celebration. He wrapped himself in a robe of Gamesian silk and called for the attendant. The man appeared almost instantaneously and gave him a respectful bow. 

"What time will breakfast be served?" 

"Your host, the most congenial Count Aire'on, has been conducting interviews with regard to last night's unpleasantness since early this morning. I have instructions to summon him to join you at your leisure."

Ben nodded morosely. "Interviews" meant torturing information out of anyone that could even be remotely connected with the would be assassin. Though the man outfitted with the bomb was the only one to die last night; there were probably numerous casualties associated with the incident now.

"Very well. Bring the kaf service here. Notify the kitchen and my host that I will be there presently."

"Of course, Supreme Leader." 

Breakfast featured regional fruits that were not suitable for transport off planet and therefore delicacies. There were also assorted pastries, breads and some kind of protein that resembled congealed slime. Ben picked at his dish just enough to please his host. Count Aire'on had come to breakfast energetic and smug. He talked of the progress that had been made in investigating the assassination attempt. He blathered on about the young man being from a disgraced family, the incident thought to be a solitary act rather than precipitated by a terrorist faction, every effort being made, etc, etc. Ben was only interested as far as was politically necessary. He was leaving this system today and was eager to get back to his ship where he could consider the larger issue of what to do with force sensitives cropping up around the galaxy. When his host finally took a breath Ben assured him that he was satisfied with his efforts, and that the final report could be transmitted to his ship.  
"Supreme Leader, are you planning on departing so soon?"

"Formal ceremonies have ended. I have much to do in furthering the interests of the First Order that cannot be accomplished over picnics and cocktails."

Count Aire'on rankled at the comment but offered no further argument. 

Ben stood to leave, "I would like to give a formal farewell to Ambassador Vory for her assistance to me during my stay. See that she is sent to my accommodations after breakfast."

His host was quick to follow. "But Supreme Leader, Ambassador Vory is being held for questioning regarding last night's disruption."

This surprised Ben greatly. "What? Why is she suspect?"

Count Aire'on seemed confused. "Was it not at her suggestion that your Knights and personal guard were left behind during the gala?"

Ben advanced on his host. "I was told that it would be an honor to entrust you with my safety."

The Count floundered a bit. "Traditionally, that has been our custom, but with the appointment of a new Supreme Leader, of course, safety is of primary concern." 

Ben regarded his host angrily. He wanted to tell this ridiculous man that the reason he listened to the ambassador's advice was because he could see there was no deception in her. But if the darkening red spots on the cuffs of his host's sleeves were any indication, it was likely the damage had already been done. Ben stormed back to his room without another word. His tension didn't begin to ease until the shuttle had docked and his ship was pulling away from Silbatta. 

Rey and Finn continued the simple training for some time. For Finn, using the force was like strengthening a weak muscle. It was taking time and practice. There came a point where both of them tired and the lesson came to end. Looking at each other exitedly, they said in unison, "We need to tell Leia."

They nearly ran to Leia's room. Leia had a whole wing for her use, and rather than being in the bunk, she was in a conference room consulting with Captain Golst and the Lieutenants. Rey and Finn slid discreetly to the side of the room to wait, but Leia turned to them as if they had come in shouting. She dismissed the Lieutenants and spoke with Golst for a moment more. When he stepped out, she turned to Finn and Rey.

"Well, you two are obviously bursting with some sort of news, let's have it"

They both started talking at once.

"I noticed light... it was just instinct... and I knew it before...and then we did this ... exercise"

They both ended nearly at the same time with, "and it worked!"

Leia looked at them with motherly patience. "I'm sorry, all I got was you tried some training and it worked? What worked? What exactly are we talking about?"

Rey looked at Finn. "Show her."

Finn looked nervous for a moment, then nodded. He looked over at the desk, closed his eyes and reached out his hand. A stylus made its way lazily through the air and touched Finn's fingers, at which point he dropped it. Finn dropped to the ground to retrieve it, and handed it to Leia as if it was very important that she have it. Rey grinned and looked at Leia expectantly. 

Ignoring the stylus, Leia took Finn's hand. "Finn this wonderful! You just realized this now?"

"Actually, Rey figured it out." Both Finn and Leia turned to her.

"I didn't put it all together at first, I just noticed things, then last night I started thinking that there could be others out there, people like me who didn't even know they were force sensitive, just relied on instinct. And then it just all clicked."

Leia listened carefully, then said, "Finn, I'm going to have you switched to an earlier shift and cut your work time down a bit. I want you two studying Jedi texts or working on training exercises as much as possible. Figure out a schedule where you can do both without neglecting meals or sleep. Rey, Captain Golst would like to see you in his office."

Rey nodded dutifully, but she dreaded facing the Captain so soon after causing such an uproar on his Command Deck. Finn walked out with her, but they were headed in separate directions. 

"I'll see you at lunch, and we can start to work out a schedule." Finn was still elated at his new found ability, so he gave her wide smile, but now he could sense her tension as well. He took a step back toward her and put a reassuring hand on her arm. She gave him a thin smile, then he disappeared down the hall leaving her to find her way to the conveyor. 

Captain Golst had an office right next to the main entrance to the Command deck. Rey knocked and was beckoned in. The office was simple, looking just as it did on any other First Order ship. Captain Golst himself looked the part, even the way he stood on deck mimicked the bearing of the First Order. But now he was sitting at the desk looking over something on a holo screen. 

"Rey, thank you for coming, please have a seat." He waved to two small chairs in front of the desk. Rey seated herself and looked around nervously while Golst finished what he was doing. Soon he put down the holo screen and clasped his hands.

"I wish to speak to you about what happened in Primary Command the other day."

Rey's pent up nervousness came out in a rush of words. "I'm so sorry, Captain, I didn't mean to frighten the crew, I just..."

Golst held up a hand to stop her. "I understand setting off the alarm was an accident. I also understand how antagonistic Poe can be." There was a hint of humor in his voice at that, and Rey relaxed a little. Golst leaned back in his chair.

"My daughter was a force user." 

Rey leaned in, curiosity outweighing her apprehension. Golst continued, getting drawn up in the memory.

"She was very talented, even from a young age. It amazed her mother and I, we were so ordinary. I was just a pilot then and we lived close to a space port on Laven Prime. It wasn't the safest area, but necessary for my job."

Rey felt the energy around the memory and opened herself to it. She could see the port and the small housing area behind. About two dozen rounded huts, a maze of walking paths swirling around them.

"My wife was able to stay home and care for Mala, it was a simple life, but we were content."

Rey could see the image of a slim woman in a faded purple robe that complimented her long sandy brown hair and dark eyes. The little girl next to her had a cherubic face surrounded by bouncy blonde curls. She was smiling and seemed about to burst into giggles. The girl did not seem to resemble her mother, and Rey wondered if the Captain's hair was blond before it became the steely gray it was now. 

"My wife grew ill and passed away. I tried to be at home as much as possible but Mala was left on her own a lot."

The memory changed. The mother was gone and now the girl was older, maybe 11 or 12, her hair was longer but still full of curls, her face still full of smiles. 

"One day I came home and she was just... gone." Captain Golst faced her now. "The First Order took her for her powers. So, no, Rey I'm not intimidated by what you can do. In fact, I called you here because I want you to do it again."

Rey was completely caught off guard. She had expected lecturing, discipline, maybe even an assignment hosing out trash compactors. So her response was slow and confused. 

"Do...it...again?"

"Not necessarily the cannons, mind you, but I would like to have you assigned to Command Crew to see how much of this ship you can learn to control on your own." 

Rey was stunned, but the prospect of testing her force abilities was thrilling. "When do I start?"

* * *

On the Finalizer General Hux stepped out of the secondary transmission room and hurried to a conveyor. It was odd for him to be in this part of the ship which was mostly reserved for backup in the event main controls were destroyed, but no one would dare question him. And presumably Kylo Ren was too busy playing at Supreme Leader to pay much attention to his comings and goings. He still had plenty of time to get to the counsel room before his meeting with Ren and the other Generals. He was the first to arrive, so he busied himself with reviewing the plans for the new Star Killer Base and the Enforcer Moons that were to be commissioned around each system. He knew the information by heart, but Hux felt a swell of triumph whenever he looked over the details. Such an exquisite arrangement, like slipping handcuffs on each system in the galaxy. No, it was more than that. Hux thought back to when he was a boy, following his father around the prison as he attended to his duties as Warden. Rows and rows of prisoners would be shackled together in chains and shock collars and escorted by one solitary guard. There was no resistance, they had no way to struggle once they were bound. Every system would submit the same way. The First Order would unify them all in a chain of military control to which there would be no chance of opposition.

The Generals began assembling in the room, grabbing extra cups of kaf and chatting about the recent events. Many of them were in good spirits. Snoke had ruled with intimidation, breathing the threat of death even over his loyal supporters. Most of these Generals were cautiously optimistic that Ren's rule would be less oppressive. Fools. How could they think Kylo Ren could be a competent leader? He goes a week without a destructive tantrum and abandons his ridiculous helmet, and suddenly the hierarchy is rallying behind him. Absurd! But he could also tell there were those like him, Generals and lieutenants alike who were not seduced by Ren's new status and guise of self control. 

"Supreme Leader" Kylo Ren was the last to enter, and the conference quickly commenced. Hux watched the Generals closely as they gave their reports and recommendations to Ren. It was hard to discern much during routine interactions, so Hux watched their eyes. There was just enough emotion in their glances for Hux to determine that five Generals were not satisfied with Ren as the new Supreme Leader. Three of them detested him. Good, it was a start. It was time for Hux to present his report for approval and he started with the Enforcer Moons. Beginning with a small satellite being placed in orbit around each system. It would be a scaled down, modernized version of the Death Star that the Empire had tried to use to secure power. Engineers had reworked the design into a sleek structure nearly half the size of the original that operated with a minimal crew, but could pinpoint targets on the surface with astounding accuracy. Rather than planet destroyers, these were surgical tools that could pluck out pockets of resistance in a system with almost no collateral damage. Hux was profanely passionate on the subject, but no one objected. They could all see the advantage of such an arrangement. Even Kylo Ren, who had little to say on previous reports commented.

"Excellent. How soon will we have a fully functioning model ready for deployment?"

Hux was ready, as always, with the answer.

"More than half a dozen are receiving final inspections and will be ready for deployment by the end of the week." Hux projected the intended recipients. Coruscant, Bothawui, Naboo, Takodana, etc.

"How were these systems chosen?" Ren asked quietly.

Hux turned from the display, perturbed. "These systems are known Republic supporters, they are the most likely to give aid or refuge to the Resistance, of course, Supreme Leader." He spit the title out distastefully. 

Ren regarded him for a moment, and Hux noticed a slight twitch in his eye as he started to speak. 

"Send three of them to systems that have most recently supported the Resistance. Send the others to planets loyal to the First Order. I want the forerunner sent to Silbatta. Hux, you can prepare a formal introduction to transmit to all systems. We will present them as protection to our allegiant worlds. Contact Count Aire'on, I'm sure he will be able to provide you with a suitable target with which to make a demonstration. By now he should have identified those responsible for the attack on my coronation ceremony." 

Kylo Ren rose as if to end the meeting, but Hux stopped him.

"Supreme Leader, if I may, I would prefer my attentions were kept in the reconstruction of the new Star Killer Base." 

Ren's dismissal was prompt and unceremonious. "No."

Hux was shocked, "WHAT?"

But Ren simply shook his head. "There will be no reconstruction of Star Killer Base, I have denied-"

"Star Killer Base was the most fantastic technological advancement of our era,” Hux interrupted. He couldn't restrain his disgust and disbelief. “...a weapon that would guarantee the First Order's supremacy-" 

Now it was Ren's turn to interrupt. "Supremacy over what? Do you realize the disruption to the macrocosm that technological terror created? Burn through a few more systems and not only will there no longer be any empire left, you will likely destabilize the entire galaxy. My decision on this is final."

Kylo Ren and the other Generals now filed out, leaving Hux fuming. Star Killer Base had been his pet project from the beginning, his work on it is what had gained him favor with Supreme Leader Snoke. If it hadn't been for Ren's constant distractions and interference, Hux would have secured the base, the map to Skywalker, and eliminated those filthy rebels. And now that slimy force freak presumed to command him to be nothing more than a mouthpiece, pandering to his repugnant benefactors!! Indignation incarnate, Hux stormed from the room.

Ben's mind was almost completely occupied by the concept of the Enforcer Moons. This had been the most useful information he'd garnered all day. The idea was brilliant, even if the intent behind it was not. These satellites really could provide a net of security around the allied worlds. Now that the Republic was gone, the systems that vacillated between the two powers would not need to be coerced. If the First Order directed its attention to bettering the lives of its citizens, instead of chasing rebel bands and destabilizing solar systems, they would join of their own accord.

His good mood had been a boon to the training session he had just led the Knights through. They were again free to course through the full gradient of the force rather than being restricted to a single channel. Mingling the light and dark, he could feel the strength it gave them. Still pondering the potential of his administration, he marched through the door to his room and into a training arena.

Back on the Oblivion Rey and Finn met that evening in the training room right after dinner. Rey was so excited at the prospect of Finn being force sensitive that she hadn't even considered what they would do to train. So when Finn asked, Rey went with the first thing that came to mind.

"How about some sparring?"

Finn looked at her like that was the last thing he wanted to do, but reluctantly agreed.

Rey fetched her favorite staff and another very similar one for Finn. Rey assumed this would be an easy session. She was so wrong. Finn didn't want to fight her, not even in practice. Not at all. He never made the first move. She would advance on him and he would block, but she could easily disarm him, throw him off balance, or get a clear shot at a vulnerable body part. 

After an hour or so, Rey halted, panting. "Didn't you learn how to fight in the First Order??" She couldn't hide her irritation. 

Finn looked just as frustrated. "Not really. Hand to hand combat doesn't work in storm trooper armor. We were taught drills, firing blasters, electroweapons. We were EXPENDABLE."

Rey softened a bit. "Try to reach out and feel the attack coming. Predict what I'm going to do, and stop the hit." 

Another half an hour, multiple bruises, and possibly a cracked rib later, they both flopped onto the mats, exhausted and ill tempered. 

"If you could just get over your fear of hitting me..." Rey began.

Finn groaned, "Maybe if you could come up with a better lesson than, 'Finn do your best to crack my skull open!'"

They were still arguing about the best training strategy when Rey realized the air around them had changed, and they weren't alone...

For Ben, Rey and Finn were standing a short distance away, bickering like petulant children. No one had noticed his presence, so he leaned against a station divider and watched the show.

After awhile, he noticed Rey stiffen and her eyes darted to where Ben idled. Finn was in a full blown rant when he saw the look on Rey's face change. The protest died in his throat and he put a hand over his eyes and sighed. 

When he looked up again his eyes were full of regret. "I'm sorry. I know you don't have much experience with this either."

Rey stammered, "No...it's my fault. I should have prepared better..." 

Finn took a step closer and put his hands on her arms. "It's getting late, maybe we should call it a night, and try again tomorrow?" 

Rey recovered a bit. "Yes, of course. I'll put back the supplies. You get some rest...maybe stop by the med bay."

Finn smiled and pulled her into a hug. Ben chafed at the gesture, but buried the feeling before Rey could pick up on it. They said their goodbyes and as soon as the door had closed between them, she spun on him. Her eyes full of fire. 

"So the traitor is force sensitive. That would explain why the conditioning didn't take hold." Ben studied her for a moment. "You didn't want me to know about him, that's what you were hiding last time we talked."

Rey stared daggers at him. She was already so aggravated with the ineffective training session, she didn't think she could muster any patience for Ben Solo, especially not when he was so infuriatingly calm.

"What do you want?" She finally growled at him.

Ben straightened from his casual position against the wall and advanced on her. There he goes again she thought always pushing in on me. 

"You didn't learn anything from Luke. You have power and instinct but no skill or understanding. You need a teacher." 

Ben was just inches from her now, staring right into her eyes, and she hated the effect he was having on her. She tried to hold on to her anger, but it was like trying to hold water in her hand, and it slipped easily away.

"What could you teach me?" She asked, sounding less obstinate than she wanted to.

Ben lowered his voice to almost a whisper. 

"Everything." 

And, abruptly he turned away and walked to the combat circle. Rey exhaled, realizing she had been holding her breath. She could think again now that he moved away from her. She followed him to the circle. For the next hour he took her through a series of exercises. Most of them had to do with centering, being balanced within oneself, in order to better perceive the surrounding force. Ben explained at length the purpose of the exercises and the effect they could have on ability with the force. Rey couldn't help but be a tiny bit impressed. Ben was more knowledgeable and artistic than she had guessed. 

She found it oddly hypnotic to listen to him. He was so articulate, and passionate about the subjects. Especially the force. Rey really had a lot to learn. Shaking her head to focus again she asked him to repeat himself. 

“I can see you're getting weary. We should finish up here.” Ben gave her a respectful bow and closed the bond.

Rey trudged off to her room trying to remember the instruction Ben had given her, and unsuccessfully trying to forget the way it felt when he placed a hand on the small of her back to correct her posture. He didn't say good bye, or good night, or anything really. When will they do this again? Should she try to reach out to him and ask? She was tired and bleary eyed so she decided to sleep on it. 

Ben stood unmoving in his room for some time, feeling decidedly less tranquil than he had an hour ago. Why was he letting himself get distracted? And training Rey? That had not been his intention, and yet, when she had asked him why he was there it was his immediate response. Ben sighed and prepared for bed, contemplating the feelings he had picked up from Rey during the lesson. Her opinion of him was broadening. He felt the pull toward her again. There would be no reason to open a connection now. She needed to ruminate on what she learned, he recognized the need for patience. She was fierce and unruly and would not tolerate coercion. And that was something he could understand perfectly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We would like to thank any and all of you that have even read one chapter of this! It's been fun. 6 chapters in! Things are picking up eh?? Stick with us... good things come to those who wait. :)


	7. Nothing Comes Easy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey focused back on the lesson and used the force from the bench to throw the cylinder into the air. She too had to leap out of the way as it sped toward her. Rey and Finn took turns flinging the cylinders over and over. They learned they could send them in different directions and varying distances, but stopping them on queue was beyond them. Rey was trying to toss one just hard enough to catch it in her hand when she heard a voice behind her.  
> "Wave manipulation? That's a bit advanced for you two."   
> Ben. Her concentration disintegrated and instead of coming to her hand, the cylinder hit Finn square in the chest and he fell flat on his back. Rey rushed to him.  
> "Oh, Finn I'm so sorry!" Finn was coughing, struggling to get his breath back, but she could hear Ben chuckling quietly behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsYrPtDrX8o - What If We Could by Blue October  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeZyGBGSWvk - You Know You Like It by DJ Snake
> 
> Thank you to ANYONE who has stuck with this. Gosh I know there's a lot of em out there, but stay with us! Only 13 more chapters! Hope to hear from anyone out there. Thoughts, comments, ideas?

It was two days later that Finn and Rey again met in the training arena. This time, they practiced the exercises she had learned from Ben, and the session did not end with them trying to shout one another down. Finn had done well and was exuberant about the lesson.

"That was so much better than last time. How did you figure that out?"

Rey was distractedly glancing around the area, wondering if Ben might make another appearance. 

"Hm? Oh, just something from the Jedi texts..."

Now Finn was really interested. "Jedi texts? What are those?" 

Rey directed her attention to Finn. "They are ancient writings of Jedi knowledge."

Finn looked impressed. "Where did you get them?"

"They were in a temple on the island where Luke was living. He wasn't interested in teaching me how to be a Jedi, so I borrowed them."

Finn's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You stole them. You stole sacred Jedi volumes from a temple!"

Rey half shrugged, "I guess?"

They both broke into laughter at this. Then Finn said, "Can I see them?"

Rey shrugged again. "Sure, I'll bring them to our next training session."

Rey spent the next 3 days working on the Command deck. Physically using her gift on the ship's mechanisms was easy with Captain Golst explaining. Trying to learn mainframe processes was entirely different. She got frustrated easily with the computer systems, she could use the force to sense the components of the machine, but not the data within it. That she had to learn like everyone else. It was excruciating. By the end of day 3 she was completely fed up with the training. Though, Caulder, the technician guiding her assured her she was doing well, she felt like she didn't know anything. Her thoughts drifted and she began to imagine crushing the entire console in on itself, just a flex of her fingers and the maddening contraption would no longer be a problem. A slight tremor rippled through the deck, and Rey relaxed her hands, only now realizing they were clenched into fists. She excused herself from the technician and hurried to the refresher down the hall. Locking herself in, she leaned her head back against the door and squeezed her eyes closed. She was still huffing in frustration when someone knocked on the door. Rey wrenched the door open to find Rose standing there looking startled. 

"Oh, hey, Rey. I was looking for you. Would you like to walk to dinner together?" 

Rey was so surprised to see Rose, it took her a moment to respond. 

"Yeah, yes, of course. Is it time now?" 

Rose smiled then frowned. "Well, it's still early, but you look like you could use the break. "

Rey smiled genuinely at this. She glanced back at Command, which was running perfectly fine without her, then back at Rose.

"Let's get out of here."

Rose beamed back at her and they both scampered down the hall, snickering as they absconded. Once they had gotten a ways down the hall they slowed to a walk. Rose asked, "So I was wondering if you could tell me what happened when you went to find Master Luke?" 

Rey colored both at the memory and that she had forgotten her promise to tell Rose all about it once she recovered. 

"Oh, haven't you heard the story already?"

"Well, Finn filled me in on what happened at the base and how we came to be here, but what happened when you met Master Luke? Did he train you to be a Jedi? Are you going to train more Jedi so we can conquer the First Order?"

Rey stared at the floor as she considered how to explain everything to Rose. She ended up relating a very basic account of her time on the island, leaving out her feelings and insecurities, but driving home the point that she was not a Jedi."

Rose listened attentively. "But aren't you training Finn to use the force?"

Rey shrugged self consciously, "That was the idea, but I'm not a good teacher. So much of what I can do is just instinct, I'm not sure how to make it into instruction." Rey huffed. "The first time I tried, we got in a big fight. It was terrible."

Rose's eyes went wide, "Really? He talked like it was going well."

Rey nodded, but said nothing. It went well because of what she had learned from Ben. Ben, whom she hadn't seen in a week. And her and Finn were meeting tonight for another session.

Rose was saying something about Finn. "...can't believe he's force sensitive. Wish he had known when we were on Canto Bight. Probably would have helped a lot."

Rey was puzzled. "You were on Canto Bight? What for?"

Rose was as surprised as Rey had been that she hadn't already heard this story. They took the long way around to the mess hall, Rose speculating endlessly on how Finn could have miraculously used the force to save the Resistance earlier on. Rey could sense Rose's quick breaths and rapid heart beat as she talked about Finn. She was obviously infatuated with him. By the time they arrived Rey felt like she had worked away all the strain of being in Command. Together they found Finn and had a relaxing meal with a few of the Finn's coworkers from Sanitation. Rey noticed that Poe no longer ate with them, even though he and Finn were close friends. It was because of her, she was sure. She would have to find time to make amends. She didn't want Finn to feel like he had to choose between them. 

After dinner, Rey had some time before Finn was going to meet her, but she couldn't settle down. So she packed up the Jedi texts and went to the training arena. She was determined to learn something before Finn arrived. As usual, though, she couldn't make any sense out of what she was reading. It seemed like this whole chapter was just saying that the force was around everything and moved through everything. Ok, that was the first five minutes of Luke's initial lesson. Why was there an entire chapter in the middle of a sacred Jedi text saying the same thing? Rey put her head in her hands and wished for a working lightsaber and a combat dummy. Finn arrived before her ruinous bent could take shape. It didn't help much, as she had no idea what they should work on. She had to admit as much to Finn, she had learned she couldn't bluff her way through it. Finn wasn't disappointed. 

"Alright, are those the Jedi texts? Maybe I can help you find something we can use." 

Finn padded happily over to the volumes and started looking over the chapter Rey had just been trying to decipher. Rey reluctantly followed him. 

"There's nothing useful there, it just goes on about the force being and around everything."

Finn was concentrating hard on the text and didn't respond. Rey picked up another book and flipped through it. With all the things she could do this inability to apply what she read made her feel so inadequate. She wistfully thought about her few lessons with Ben so far, grateful that he didn't expect her to read or meditate for hours, but was hands on and engaged. She learned so much more quickly that way. Her mind went back to the first lesson with Luke on that rock facing the ocean. A small inner amusement occupied her for a moment in memory: reaching out her hand physically, Luke smacking it down. But that's all she knew. She'd seen Ben do it when he reached into her mind, when he called things to him like the lightsaber and even when he cast out his hand to fling her into a tree. There are many ways to learn, hopefully she could learn something from Finn. 

Finn continued engrossed in the text until he came to the end of the chapter. He set the book down and stared into space for several minutes. Rey watched him, bewildered. 

"Finn?"

"Yeah, sorry I was just thinking about all this." He gestured vaguely at the page. "Rey, these books are amazing!"

"What? You really understand something in there?"

Finn finally looked up at her. "Yeah, listen to what it says here..." he read a couple paragraphs. It was the same information she had read earlier, and it did not seem any more helpful when read aloud. He looked at her expectantly, but Rey could only shrug.

"Rey, this part is saying that you can use the energy around objects to move them." She stared at him, uncomprehending. 

Finn set the book down and went to the supply room, bringing back several heavy cylinders. He set them in a row along a bench, then had Rey stand across from it.

"Ok, now, use the force to bring one of those to you." Rey impulsively reached out her hand and brought the cylinder to her. It was dense and felt like there were pellets wrapped around a solid core. 

"What is this thing?" She asked.

"Projectile targets. They absorb shafts instead of blasts or electro currents. Now watch this." 

Instead of reaching out, he closed his eyes and concentrated. The cylinder lifted into the air and hurled toward them at an unbelievable speed, Finn ducking just in time so it didn't hit him in the face. It was a clumsy demonstration, but Rey was impressed.

"How did you do that?"

Finn considered for a moment. He returned the cylinder to the bench. "Close your eyes. Don't just see the energy from the cylinder, feel the energy all around it. Instead of using your strength to PULL it toward you...call on the force from the bench and the objects around it to SEND it to you."

Rey reached out her hand again, but Finn gently pushed it back to her side. Rey remembered to breathe, let herself feel everything. Now she could see what Finn was talking about. No need to restrict yourself to using your own energy when there was so much surrounding you. Rey's thoughts suddenly went back to the throne room, the way Snoke had been able to redirect the lightsaber, how he had thrown her in the air and spun her around and done so much while barely moving a finger. It was likely he was using the energies around the room to accomplish it. 

Rey focused back on the lesson and used the force from the bench to throw the cylinder into the air. She too had to leap out of the way as it sped toward her. Rey and Finn took turns flinging the cylinders over and over. They learned they could send them in different directions and varying distances, but stopping them on queue was beyond them. Rey was trying to toss one just hard enough to catch it in her hand when she heard a voice behind her.

"Wave manipulation? That's a bit advanced for you two." 

Ben. Her concentration disintegrated and instead of coming to her hand, the cylinder hit Finn square in the chest and he fell flat on his back. Rey rushed to him.

"Oh, Finn I'm so sorry!" Finn was coughing, struggling to get his breath back, but she could hear Ben chuckling quietly behind them. 

"Its, ok. I know you didn't do it on purpose. I'm alright."

Rey helped him up. "I think we should stop for today. But why don't you take that book with you. Maybe the next chapter will tell us how to stop them more...comfortably." Finn gave a short laugh then made a face and put a hand to his chest. 

"Good idea. I'll see you at breakfast." Retrieving the book, Finn gave her a last smile and was gone.

Rey wheeled on Ben. "You! You shouldn't have distracted me, he could have been seriously hurt!" 

Ben wasn't the least bit perturbed. "That exercise is far beyond your current ability. One of you would have been injured regardless."

Rey narrowed her eyes, all the days' frustrations coming to a head. "Where have you been? I thought you were going to train me! I haven't seen you in a week!" Rey was surprised at how hurt she was by this. Surprised too, that his absence was the root of so much of her frustration. Hiding the ache beneath her vexation, she flipped the cylinders into the air and stomped off to the supply room with them in tow. 

Returning she stood opposite from him and insolently crossed her arms. Ben scrutinized her for a moment. Without breaking eye contact, he flicked two fingers and brought a pair of staffs to him. He tossed one to her and she caught it. He advanced on her at once, spinning the staff adeptly, displaying skill equivalent to her own. She was so taken aback she had to retreat for a moment, but then she found her stride. She stopped retreating and held her place, countering Ben's moves and effecting her own attack. Ben was able to block her strikes, and she realized he was studying her. Testing her speed, the strength of her strikes. It was the first time they had been in hand to hand combat since Star Killer base, and he wanted to learn her form. She held nothing back, releasing all the stress she had bottled up in a variety of quick attacks. When stopping one of her hits actually made Ben step back, he smiled, just a bit. Whatever was left of her anxiety was washed away by that look on his face. 

"Now, remember your first lesson. Center yourself. When you are balanced inside you can better control what's around you." 

Rey listened, closed her eyes for a moment and let the serenity drift through her. She felt new strength and readied herself.

"I'm going to advance. Feel what's around you, anticipate the strike."

Ben did not hold back on his offensive. His hits were blindingly fast and exacting. But Rey didn't falter. She did not retreat. Without easing up, Ben instructed. "Look for opportunities to gain ground. Counter the attack, but feel for a chance to switch to the offensive." It took all of her concentration. She had to keep from losing her internal harmony, predict the hits and look for an opening to become the aggressor, but the moment came and she didn't waiver. She slipped through his onslaught and pushed close, giving her an advantage. The rush forced him to withdraw, but only for a moment. He returned in full force. Their movements started to become rhythmic, a back and forth choreography. Eventually they fell apart, both of them winded. Rey took pride seeing that she had made Ben sweat, even if it was only an exercise. He moved toward her, flicking both staffs back to the weapon rack. He stopped several places away, and Rey felt disappointed at the distance between them. 

"You did well."

He made another graceful bow and vanished.

"WAIT!" Rey cried, but he was gone. Rey trudged back to her room overrun by confusing emotions.

Ben stood in his room absorbing the silence, trying to regain his composure. Sparring with Rey had been so much more than a training exercise. She had been so focused on following his direction she hadn't even realized the point where she had slipped into his mind, reading his intentions rather than feeling the physical strike before it came. He had to close the bond, break that connection before she felt the emotion, the vulnerability she could inspire in him. It was hard to be objective with her, to limit his intention and desire to only training. He had wanted to linger, to connect the way they had over the fire in her hut on Ahch-to. No, not yet, there must still be distance between them. He couldn't bear it if he drove her away again.


	8. Behind the Battlelines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben reached out to the ships around him. Morale was high, the general feeling was that it was good to have something accomplished that wasn't immediately destroyed by the Resistance. There was one ship though that radiated apprehension. The Supreme Leader narrowed his thoughts to that ship. Slightly out of formation, an older model, one of the emissaries already come in from assignment? Extremely unlikely. He focused on the individuals within. Rebels. In a stolen ship, a reconnaissance mission. No wonder they were nervous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtP4rt_8QjA - When You Think About Me by Goo Goo Dolls  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbIiIC6zN68 - There's Nothing Holding Me Back by Shawn Mendes

Mala Golst leaned back from her ornate desk and pondered her recent comms. So much was changing. After almost 11 years of diplomatic service on Naboo, she would be leaving. She rose and sauntered to her suite's balcony, looking out at the rising moons. She soaked in the view, already considering her schedule. It would take a couple of weeks to arrange, sort her affairs here, attend a few farewell events and make her courteous good byes. Then she could finally be out of this picturesque prison. Not that her time here had been difficult, she excelled at the job of diplomat and agent. Nor was it that she felt her time had been wasted. Naboo had a history of supporting the Republic and even harboring The Resistance. She had helped stabilize the governance and to keep the planet from being obliterated altogether by the First Order. 

But this had never been an ideal assignment. When she left Kuat and was brought to Supreme Leader Snoke for the first time, she had been awe struck at his ability with the force. No one in their small village had been force sensitive, and she was thrilled to see what she might one day be able to accomplish. All she needed was a teacher. But she had quickly become disillusioned with the arrangement. Snoke's interests were wrapped up in Ben Solo. He and 6 others who had received Jedi training were the ones Snoke instructed. Mala knew she was as strong with the force as any of them, but all Snoke seemed to notice about her was her pretty face. She, and many of the others gathered from around the galaxy were given a different sort preparation. They were taught to sense the emotions of others, to be able to tell who was lying, who was sincere, and who had a secret. They were instructed in tact, politics, and decorum. Some were even taught how to infiltrate the Resistance. Though being a diplomat on Naboo had been one of the more envious assignments, it had never been her passion. But now, Snoke was dead and Kylo Ren had taken his place and the entire structure of the First Order was changing. Now she would have her chance to pursue her heart's true desire.

* * * * * *

Ben had been working at his desk for hours. He had blocked out most of his day to deal with the mundane request approvals and message replies that often went delegated to one of his staff or neglected altogether. Today, however, was the installation of the first Enforcer Moon on Silbatta. There would be Hux's speech and a demonstration of the Moon's capabilities and Ben wanted to be up to date on everything associated with the event. Besides that, there were arrangements to be made to accommodate the influx of people that would be arriving on his ship in the coming weeks. He had made the decision to call in the majority of the force users that the First Order had placed around the galaxy. Snoke had trained these agents in espionage and sent them through out the galaxy to root out the disloyal. They dealt with any threats they perceived to the First Order, sometimes simply by reporting information and other times by infiltrating and exterminating pockets of dissatisfaction. They were all well trained in sensing dishonesty and carrying out operations, it should only take a minimal amount of conditioning to ready them for the new assignment. 

He had already made great strides in training the Knights of Ren in this new format, though that wasn't unusual. He had their complete loyalty, just as they had trusted him all those years ago at the academy, they trusted him now. But he would have to be on guard with this new group. They had been trained by Snoke himself, and likely their allegiance to him as their first master ran deep. It was possible they might resent being pulled from the assignments they had received from Snoke, or that they could see his drastic policy changes as subversive. Ben wiped a hand over his tired eyes. He had not slept well. That wasn't unusual for him. His mind and emotions had often been in such tumult that he'd been unable to rest satisfactorily. But Snoke's death and the success of much of his initial rule had afforded him a measure of peace, in order to gain a limited amount of unbroken rest. But last night he had barely been able to close his eyes, and it wasn't First Order business that had him worrying. It came back to Rey. The hurt she felt at his absence, the way she had slid into his mind so instinctively, despite being so undisciplined. His undeniable connection to her had him spooked, edgy all night long. What had started out as a curiosity, then a camaraderie, even an alliance, was now flourishing unchecked into so much more. He had good reason to be shaken. For someone who had spent his life laying waste to personal connections, he had succumb to this affection with remarkable speed, and could find no inclination within himself to check it. He would see her tonight. And with that, suddenly there she was, before him...

Moments before she was ambling down the hall, just released from the confines of Command, her mind already far away from the data instruction she had just been subjected to. Instead her thoughts were flooded with impressions from the previous night's training session. Sparring with Ben had been exactly what she needed, a way to effectively discharge her ill humor. And he had incorporated training into the physical release beautifully. He really was a good teacher. But then, just as they had achieved a nearly perfect harmony, Ben pulled back, and then abruptly ended the lesson. Leaving her, as was becoming usual, wanting more. At the time she thought they had both parted from exertion. But now she wondered if there hadn't been more to it than that. Ben was in spectacular shape, stronger than her physically and with the force. It didn't make sense that he would tire as easily as she did. She was just beginning to contemplate what else might have caused his strained breathing when he appeared before her. Rey's eyes widened in panic. The hall wasn't busy, but there were people coming and going, being excused from duty for an early lunch. Even if they had been alone, she likely wouldn't have been able to speak. How could she explain opening a force bond now? But Ben didn't seem the least bit surprised to see her. 

"We will meet tonight in the training arena."

Rey could only nod imperceptibly. And then he was gone, just like that. Still staring at the empty space in front of her, she suddenly heard a voice behind her.

"Rey?"

She turned to see Poe coming up behind her.

"Are you ok? You look like you've just seen a ghost."

Rey gave him a half hearted smile. "Just lost in thought, I guess." 

"Huh." Poe scrutinized her for a moment and she wondered at how flustered she must have been by Ben's appearance. 

"Are you going to Command?" She asked lightly.

"No, actually I was looking for you. Leia is making an announcement in the mess hall. It will be broadcast to all the crew, but she wants you there in person." 

"Oh." Was all Rey could manage. They started walking down the hall in silence. Rey goaded herself into speaking. 

"Listen, Poe, I wanted to apologize... for what happened in Command..." 

Rey swallowed hard. She still didn't feel like apologizing to Poe, but she knew she needed to make amends for Finn's sake. He was willing to do almost anything for her, surely she could swallow her pride and do this for him. Besides, they were all on the same side. It was to everyone's benefit if there were no divisions among them.

Poe was nodding and looking down the hall. "Its alright, Rey. I probably overreacted a bit. But going from losing most of the Resistance in battle to narrowly escaping death from the First Order multiple times to riding around in a First Order ship had everyone on their last nerve, you know?"

"Yeah, but I should have been more considerate, not showing off... so would you feel comfortable eating with us again? I don't want to be a problem between you and Finn anymore."

Poe turned to look at her solemnly. "You think I've been cold-shouldering Finn? Because of you?" Poe sighed and shook his head, obviously offended by the implication that he could be so fickle.

Rey lowered her head, "I just assumed, you were so mad and I never had a chance to say I was sorry. I haven't even spoken to you these last couple weeks." She colored thinking of how childish she had been and how ridiculous it all sounded now.

"I don't suppose you've noticed that I haven't been at most of the meals lately?" 

Rey shook her head, again embarrassed at missing this detail.

"There's been a lot going on with regards to the First Order, and Leia has had all the Lieutenants, the Commanders, and Captains eating with her while conferencing. You'll learn more about it at the meeting." 

They entered the mess hall and Poe turned to where Leia was preparing. Before he could leave, Rey said, "Hey, Poe, thanks." She stretched out to sense how she would be received.

Poe gave her a tight smile and a nod. She could feel apprehension, but it wasn't directed at her, and there was no anger. Satisfied that things had been put right, she grabbed a plate and found a seat. She didn't see Finn or Rose or any Command techs, so she sat by herself. She wasn't alone for long, though. A shaggy haired security officer plopped down in front of her. 

"Hey, you're Rey, aren't you?" 

Rey gave him a cautious smile. She was sure she had never met him.

"Yes, and you are...?" 

"Oh, sorry! I'm Tal, Tal Delugin." He beamed like the sun and reached over to zealously shake her hand.

"Nice to meet you." Rey said, though she felt this whole thing was a little odd. 

"Pleasure's all mine, not every day I get to meet a Jedi." The look on his face was jovial, but his gaze was piercing.

Rey gave a small, forced laugh. "And I haven't met anyone from security. Am I under suspicion?"

Tal chortled delightedly, "Not yet, but I'll be sure to keep my eye on you." And he gave her a wink. Rey felt slightly sick at the insinuation and was infinitely relieved that Leia then called for their attention and began addressing the group.

"We've recently received confirmation that the First Order will be installing an Enforcer Moon around the Silbatta system today. Our ship has not been called to the ceremony, but we will be sending in a smaller vessel to observe and report back on this weapon's capabilities. It should be a simple mission, but Silbatta is completely controlled by the First Order. If anything goes wrong, we have no allies to turn to. That being the case, I'm not assigning anyone to this task. I'm asking for volunteers only to make up the crew of the ship.” There was silence for a moment as Leia's words sank in. Then the questions started. 

Someone near the back asked, " If we are going in anyway, why not blow that thing to kingdom come while we're there?"

Leia was already shaking her head. "Right now the First Order believes that the Resistance is a handful of people on an easily recognizable outlaw ship. We mustn't tip our hand too soon. Let them think we are all but beaten. This Enforcer Moon is no danger to us or any of our allies. We are better off using this opportunity to gain Intel."

"How will we get a ship in unnoticed?" Someone else called out.

"We have the schedule for the event. It includes the time period in which ships will be arriving. Our ship will simply drop out of hyperspeed at the same time, appearing to be one of the fleet."

"General, is this mission really necessary?"

"This is just the first installation. There are more coming, and we need to be prepared to deal with them once they do become a threat. To do that, we need to get a good look at one. This will be the only chance we have to do that with no questions asked."

People now began to volunteer. Then an enthusiastic voice called out, "Eh, General, why don't we send the Jedi?" Rey turned to look incredulously at Tal Delugin, who was grinning at her like he had just done her the biggest favor in the world.

Leia eyed him for a moment obviously displeased with his outburst. "Who are you?"

Tal now stood up. "Tal Delugin, General, I work in security." 

"Well Tal, it defeats the purpose of asking for volunteers if you are speaking for someone else. And if Rey had volunteered, I would not allow her to go." 

Tal looked surprised, "But General, she could use her force powers. Probably take out the whole fleet alo-"

Leia held up a hand to stop him, "She was called to this meeting for a different reason. Were you called to this meeting, Mr. Delugin?"

Tal smiled a little less brightly and rocked back onto his heels. "Naw, just happened to be my lunch hour."

"Well then," Leia smiled humorlessly. "Don't let us keep you from your duties."

Tal's eyes narrowed for a minute, but then he smiled broadly, tipped an imaginary hat, and sauntered out the door. Rey still sat in shock, her fork frozen halfway to her mouth. She made an effort to pay attention to the rest of the meeting which wrapped up quickly. Enough people volunteered to crew the ship, and Leia had them report to Poe for on board assignments. Leia then made her way over and sat across from Rey. Rey pushed her plate away, suddenly not hungry. Leia smiled kindly at her.

"Forgive me for not explaining why I asked you here. I've been preoccupied with the activities of the First Order and it's new Supreme Leader."

Rey felt her chest tighten at the mention of Ben. But surely Leia didn't know about her association with him. Surely. This would have to be something that Rey pondered later. 

Leia continued. "I was just hoping you could tell me how your training sessions with Finn are going."

Rey slumped a little, relieved and embarrassed at the same time. "Very slowly." She mumbled.

Leia nodded as if this is what she expected. "Don't be discouraged. It takes years of training to learn the ways of the Jedi. But I'm afraid we just don't have that kind of time. You do have the Jedi texts, are they helping you progress?"

Rey smiled apologetically. "Actually, I have a hard time understanding them. Finn had to explain the significance of the last chapter I was trying to read." 

For some reason, Leia didn't seem surprised by this either. "Those texts were written by Jedi flush with the light. Finn has very little darkness in him, so I believe it's easier for him to perceive the intent of the teachings." 

Rey regarded Leia thoughtfully. There was implication in Leia's words, the hint that Rey was not so abundant in light. And Rey knew the truth of it. She had willingly gone to the dark side of the island. She had insisted that she wouldn't let Luke down, then sought solace from his adversary. She had even attacked Luke with his own lightsaber. A dread settled in her stomach as she remembered Ben's words, "When the time comes, you'll be the one to turn." Leia watched Rey closely, almost as if she could read her thoughts. 

"Luke was always more abundant with the light than I was. And he was of the opinion that immersing yourself in exercises aimed at the light would overpower the darkness within." 

Rey fixed her gaze on the table. She certainly hadn't been focusing on light training. She wasn't even sure she knew how. To her, the force was the force. Light and dark blended together, inextricable from each other.

Leia was still talking. "And I was always of the opinion that his theory was mynock crap." 

Rey looked up now, startled. "Doing the right thing is a choice, regardless of the tools you use." Leia smiled mischievously. "I guess that's why I'm a General and not a Jedi." Leia rose and left Rey without another word.

Rey sat stunned for several minutes. Her conversations with Leia were always so different from what she expected. She wished everyone could understand how difficult it had been for her to get used to so much human interaction. She was still learning social cues and reading body language and understanding meanings of jokes and metaphors. Sometimes it was easier to just be alone again after so many years of isolation. She glanced at the time and headed to her room. She stretched out on her cot, thinking about the only other person that seemed as isolated on a ship of hundreds of people as she felt. One day at a time Rey... she thought to herself. She tried to process the day's strange events, but fell asleep instead.

Ben waited in Primary Command as the presentation of the Enforcer Moon began. Droids were setting the moon in orbit while on board techs calibrated the station to its rotation. Once the initial alignment had been completed, the view screen switched to the surface where Hux was introducing the machinery. Ben felt his speech was a bit obtuse, but when delivered with Hux's maniacal devotion, it had the intended affect. The crowd was more than just politely enthusiastic. Ben stretched his feelings out to the people in the crowd. It wasn't difficult, their energy was easy to locate. He began skirting through the crowd like a person flipping pages in a book. There were those who were dissatisfied, but they were just scattered individuals throughout the group. Most people were feeling positive about the new installation. It seemed even Silbatta, the center of the First Order, was not immune to disturbance. 

It was time for the demonstration. As the system operators made their final calculations, Count Aire'on explained to the audience that through his tireless efforts in investigating the attack on the Supreme Leader, he had discovered the hideout for a small band of revolutionaries who had orchestrated the vile deed. An image of a cabin in the wilderness was displayed behind him. As the Count blathered on about all he had done and how gracious the Supreme Leader was to let him make amends for the incident, Ben reached out to the cabin. It was on the other side of the planet, in an area that looked barely inhabited. It was backed by a steep cliff that rose into a mountain range behind it. Though it looked viable in the report, Ben could now see that it was badly dilapidated. The protection and support afforded by the cliff face was probably the only reason it was still standing. There were no people, but there was movement. Ah, droids. This was indeed a demonstration. Very likely the young man who had tried to incinerate him had acted alone, and everyone knew how he already paid for his infraction. 

Now completely uninterested in the Count's self serving speech, Ben reached out to the ships around him. Morale was high, the general feeling was that it was good to have something accomplished that wasn't immediately destroyed by the Resistance. There was one ship though that radiated apprehension. The Supreme Leader narrowed his thoughts to that ship. Slightly out of formation, an older model, one of the emissaries already come in from assignment? Extremely unlikely. He focused on the individuals within. Rebels. In a stolen ship, a reconnaissance mission. No wonder they were nervous. He turned his attention back to the demonstration. The Moon had been established in its circuit and weapons systems calibrated. 

Count Aire'on had finally stopped talking. The cabin was targeted and a thin red beam fixed on the structure. The entire building was quickly consumed, but the beam continued its focus, pulsing energy into the bluff itself. The extra surge only lasted for a short time, but it was enough to rupture the mountain and create a fissure that ran far into the range. The view screen switched back to the assembly. The crowd was wild with cheers and admiration, but Ben groaned internally. The weapon features of this Moon was only valuable if it could be calibrated to unerring accuracy. It was an impressive display of power, but what if the target had been in the capital? Burning a hole through half the city was of no benefit. He would have to delay the installation of the other Moons until the issue could be corrected. He would have an investigation made as soon as the presentation was over and the fleet had been returned to duty. 

There were a few more comments made on how the Moon would be used and some of the technical aspects of its rotational cycle, but the major part of the exhibition was over. The Supreme Leader pulled out his holo screen and sent reminders that all reports on the Moon's initial cycle and weapons discharge be sent to him as soon as they had been determined. He also sent in a request for a detailed investigation to be made into the intemperate power discharge during the demonstration. The charge was given for the accompanying fleet to return to their posts, and Ben followed the Resistance ship as it prepared to jump to hyperspeed, feeling their concern over what they had just seen. Once all accompanying ships had departed he exited Command, sent instructions for his dinner to be brought to his office and anxiously awaited his meeting with Rey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is what we would call a connector. It's necessary to get into some nitty gritty. Sorry if it's a bit short and... oh let's say sterile? Thank you for sticking with us and come back for more!


	9. Everything Is Changing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The Enforcer Moons are not for the specific purpose of wiping out the rebellion."  
> "How can you say that? After the attack you brought on Crait?"  
> Ben's face darkened a bit. A gush of feeling spilled out of him as if she had just severed an artery. She was assaulted with so many caustic emotions. Loss, betrayal, emptiness, and all of it laced with a sickening decay that lingered from Snoke's control. It was so agonizing Rey took a step back. Ben turned away and Rey was suddenly afraid he would leave. Instinctively, she reached and caught his hand. Ben stilled, not looking at her, his eyes on their clasped hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to any and all of you who are following this story! Even though we have been busy working on Shared Vision, we've still got our noses in some AMAZING stories! Shout out to the writers of some awesome fics such as "What She's Worth", "A Proposal By Any Other Name", "Burn the Boats", and "You'll Be The One To Turn"!!! And so many more, too many to name. Please enjoy these musical interludes to go along with Chapter 9's feels :)  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-2eW56Wdoo - Never Be The Same by Camilla Cabello  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omuYo49_SOQ - Whispers In The Dark by Skillet  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70FI3c2ARKM- Good Man by Devour The Day

Rey had been called to another meeting, this time in the conference room in Leia's wing. The crew of the ship that had infiltrated the fleet and studied the Enforcer Moon had returned, unharmed and undetected. They were now making the report on what they had found. Much of it was technical information that Rey only slightly comprehended, and only because of what she had learned from her time in Primary Command. The most important part seemed to be the actual weapons discharge. The fact that the First Order could build a weapon that could crack a mountain was not surprising. They had the ability to turn entire planets into asteroid fields. It was the fact that they had been able to target the building that was of concern. The lieutenant presenting the report ended with the idea that if a few adjustments were made, that beam could likely mark a _single individual_ and reduce them to a pile of ash without so much as singeing those around them.

Leia sighed heavily. "So what you are saying is that the First Order will soon have the ability to wipe out every member of the Resistance and any sympathizer in a system the moment they are identified?"

"It’s very likely, General." The lieutenant responded. 

The room was thick with tension. Poe spoke up. "All right, the next time they install one of these things, we blow it out of the sky! You said that the evidence suggests that these Moons are designed based on the Death Stars, right? So we exploit the same weakness, and do what we always do. Eliminate the big guns." 

"That may not be possible, Captain. These updated designs have likely eliminated the weaknesses of the original models. They are self-sufficient and self-contained. They will rarely require shuttles to dock and their shielding comes from within."

There was a good half an hour of back and forth discussion on what should be done. Most of it involved a lot of questions and very few answers, and tempers wearing thin. Finally Leia interrupted the turmoil, assigned several lieutenants to make a more thorough investigation of their options, and dismissed the meeting.

Leia called to Rey before she could step out and beckoned her to a chair at the conference table. She gave Rey a sad smile.

"You see now what I meant when I said, we don't have much time."

Rey felt her inadequacy deeply. "I'm sorry, I just don't know what I can do to help."

Leia held up a hand, "Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to pressure you to rush your training, or to come up with some kind of miracle. I just wanted you to be apprised of our situation. Also it's nice to have the company of someone who's not under my command." 

Leia leaned back and asked more casually. "So what is your opinion of all this?" 

Rey thought for some time before answering. "I think that everything is changing. The war, the galaxy, and the people in it. The old ways of thinking and the old strategies aren't going to work. We can't assume anything. Every choice from here on out will have to be new."

Leia's gaze was piercing. "I think so too." She said finally.

They sat in silence for some time, then Leia was called away and Rey headed to the training arena. Rey had secluded herself in the range and unloaded a couple blasters into the targets. It was still early, but she didn't have anywhere else to be. It didn't take as long as she thought, for the stillness to settle in the room, for the huge space to seem less empty. When Ben appeared all that fear she had felt in the conference room, all the despair associated with a weapon that could take out the Resistance person by person, had heated her nearly to boiling. When she realized he was watching her, she set her blaster down carefully and spoke as calmly as she could, though her voice shook. 

"So this is how you finally destroy the Resistance? Burn each one of the systems individually as if they were never there?" 

Rey was secretly hoping for a reaction, some indication that she had the upper hand for once, having information on the First Order that he wouldn't expect her to know. But Ben only observed her for a moment then said, "Is that what your spy ship told you when they returned from their reconnaissance today?"

Rey said nothing. It was no improvement to her mood that he answered a question with a question, or that he knew just as much about Resistance business as she did about the First Order.

"The Enforcer Moons are not for the specific purpose of wiping out the rebellion."

"How can you say that? After the attack you brought on Crait?"

Ben's face darkened a bit. A gush of feeling spilled out of him as if she had just severed an artery. She was assaulted with so many caustic emotions. Loss, betrayal, emptiness, and all of it laced with a sickening decay that lingered from Snoke's control. It was so agonizing Rey took a step back. Ben turned away and Rey was suddenly afraid he would leave. Instinctively, she reached and caught his hand. Ben stilled, not looking at her, his eyes on their clasped hands. Now Rey could feel guilt and lingering fear of what he might have done in that tortured state. No wonder he worked so hard at controlling himself now. Without his depraved master suppressing his humanity, he was all too aware of the consequences of his actions. There was more light in Ben Solo than she had ever guessed. He looked at her now, his eyes laden with emotion, and she realized that she was still gripping his hand. She dropped it quickly, suddenly flustered by the intimacy of the moment. Ben breathed quietly and his neutral expression returned. 

"Tonight, you run." He turned abruptly and left the range.

Rey took a moment to gather herself. Racing through such a range of emotions so quickly left her unsteady. Eventually she made her way to the main room. Ben was serious, she was required to run laps around the arena for quite some time. She couldn't simply run, though. Ben gave her strict instruction on how to breathe. She also had to set and maintain a pace.

At first, Rey felt like the exercise was chastisement, the penalty for presumptuously extricating his private sorrows. But as she jogged, she started to see the wisdom in making a difficult task sustainable by following simple rules. When her trepidation loosened and she focused more on the training, Ben began to explain the exercise in detail. Much of being a force user has to do with conserving power. If you are going to manipulate the energy of the universe, you must show respect for it by not wasting it. That is why discipline even in small things was necessary. Listening to Ben's instruction was so soothing. There was a serenity between them that had been absent before. 

Ben concluded the drill and moved onto stretching and posture. For each move, Ben was correcting her positions, straightening her frame. He had never been so hands on, and his touch seemed to grow warmer with every connection. Rey wavered, feeling like her focus had shifted from being balanced to the anticipation of physical contact. It was disconcerting how quickly her anger toward him in the blaster range had changed to something different, but just as fierce. Rey realized that Ben had grown quiet. She opened her eyes to find him surveying her, his features softer than usual. She had never been particularly graceful, but the routine Ben was leading her though made her feel elegant and the look on his face... _beautiful._ She felt the word rather than thinking it. Because it wasn't hers, it came from Ben. Her heart hiccupped into a faster rhythm. For a moment everything halted, and nothing in the galaxy existed except the space between them. Then, Ben's face changed, his features once again unaffected. He cleared his throat awkwardly and commended her on her hard work. Rey grieved the lost moment and could only nod despondently as he said goodnight. She made the dismal trek back to her room awash with internal chaos and wondering if she would ever be able to sleep again.

Ben strained to keep a tidal wave of sentiment restrained as he walked to his room. He spent his training sessions with Rey in the auxiliary ship where there was almost no chance of interruption. And so he had to keep himself in check as he made his way back, and this evening's activities had made it especially difficult for him to maintain his aloofness. _Rey._ She was so wild. Her vehement accusation had gutted him, and she did it without remorse. But maybe that is what appealed to him. Despite his recent efforts to be a collected leader, he had spent years given to feral outbursts and ferocity. That remnant of Snoke's influence that haunted him felt a rush of satisfaction at such uninhibited savagery. Perhaps that was the only way to access that septic part of himself, to tear at it riotously and let the raw sensations hemorrhage. Even more unsettling was her unequivocal acceptance. Once she tapped into his mind, all doubt had vanished and confidence returned, as if it had never been rattled. All his strength with the force and he had no defense against this untamed creature. It was in these moments when he wished for his mask. A physical barrier between his too apparent mood and the rest of the First Order. Somehow, he made it to his chamber un-accosted, dropped to his bed exhausted and completely unable to sleep. 

Rey woke the next morning completely unrested from the night before, the day blurred around her. She couldn't focus on anything apart from her own thoughts, her own maelstrom of emotion. Her life seemed to be a circuit board of contradictions that she was having trouble connecting. She was fighting for the Resistance, but she was being trained by the leader of the First Order. Not only being trained, but bonding with him in a way that went beyond the force. She was surrounded by people who wouldn't hesitate to kill him at the first opportunity, and with good reason. And she wouldn't hesitate to defend him with her life, for reasons just as deep and meaningful. Every time she thought she had good reason to view him as an enemy, she would instead discover new reason to believe in him. To see him as their hope. She was so entrenched in her own introspection that she didn't even realize Finn was coming toward her. She nearly ran right into him. 

"Whoa, hey! Are you ok?" Finn asked, taking in her bewildered look. 

"Yeah, yeah, I'm just really tired. Ah...I didn't sleep much last night."

Finn relaxed visibly. "I know, these Enforcer Moons have everyone on edge right now."

Rey nodded, still looking dazed. 

Finn smiled, "Come on, let's get you something to eat. You look like you haven't had anything all day."

Rey had been heading for her bunk not even thinking about lunch. She was eager to drop into a few hours of oblivion, but Finn was right, she hadn't eaten, and his careful concern was so touching she couldn't say no. Finn sent her to the table while he got plates for both of them. He came back with extra desserts. Finn seemed to have a way of always getting better food.

"So, did Rose teach you some trick to reprogramming server droids?" She asked, gesturing to the dessert. 

Finn snickered. "Rose works on PIPES not server droids. This," he waved grandly at the food, "is the result of my irresistible charm."

Rey laughed harder than she meant to. It was nice to get a break from her anxiety and just enjoy Finn's companionship. And food. She was still caught off guard when Finn asked her about training that evening.

She hesitated a moment too long. "Oh, yes, of course."

Finn frowned a little. "Are you sure you're up for it?"

"Yes. Finn, I'm fine, really. I'm just going to go and sleep for a few hours before we meet up. Don't get worried if I'm not at dinner tonight." 

Finn smiled. "Alright. Get some rest, because I've got some stuff I want to share with you from the Jedi texts." 

Rey said goodbye and headed straight to her room, thinking she would fall asleep as soon as she touched the bed. But again she tossed and turned, struggling to identify what was keeping her from resting.

Ben attended to his duties lethargically. Most of the day was routine and excruciatingly dull. He had one meeting, however, that required his absolute attention. He was being presented with reports about the Enforcer Moon around Silbatta. There was a slight stabilization problem the satellite was experiencing, and some minor systems that were in need of repair, but for the most part the Moon was operating as intended. There were some recommendations for repairs and requests for certain mechanical crews to be sent in. Ben approved all of these and then requested a report on the excessive firepower used in the demonstration. The tech presenting the findings was nervous, and before he got very far into his information, Ben could already tell he didn't know the answer.

Ben interrupted, "How accurate is the laser cannon on the Moon projected to be?"

The tech looked up from his holo screen. "Incredibly, Supreme Leader, we should be able to pinpoint targets only a few meters across and restrict the beam to just that intended area."

"That was my understanding as well, and yet you managed to split a mountain range in half."

"Apologies, Supreme Leader, but this being a prototype, it will take considerable calibration and testing in order to achieve that level of sophistication."

Ben stared at the fidgety tech. Finally he said, "Very well. I want the installation of the other Enforcer Moons delayed. Put all your resources into getting this Moon in perfect working order. Apply what you learn to the other models so each one can be in perfect working order immediately after installation." 

The tech was speechless for a moment. "Yes, Supreme Leader, right away."

Before he could end the meeting, there came the prerequisite disagreement from Hux.

"Supreme Leader, this is no time for delay! Our recent show of strength was a resounding success. We should install the satellites now and make adjustments in due time. No one would dare challenge the First Order after such an awe inspiring demonstration. Now is the time to seal our authority."

Ben felt like he was correcting a child.

"Installing faulty equipment would only invite challenge. The idea that the Moons are not fully functional would drive our enemies to attack. If even one Moon is destroyed, we would lose the confidence of the systems that currently support us. I will not allow this entire project to be put at risk because of your overeager attitude. _Dismissed_." Leaving no question in Hux’s mind that the meeting was adjourned.

Rey was still groggy when she arrived at the training arena. She had managed to doze for a half hour or so, but hadn't really rested. She perked up at the sight of Finn immersed in a chapter of one of the Jedi texts. 

"Hey!" She called as she approached. 

Finn smiled and flipped an energy bar to her. "Dinner is served."

Rey sat on a nearby bench and munched while Finn read some passages to her then explained what he had learned. It was a bit of a disappointment when she realized it was a more drawn out version of what Ben had taught her last night. Finn was excited by the idea that you could have greater control of your surroundings by making the best use of your own energy, but he was having trouble coming up with a practical application. So Rey suggested running. They did laps together just as she had the night before. Practice was much more invigorating. She enjoyed Finn's company. She applied everything Ben had told her and she was able to run longer than she thought she would. Finn, however, could only endure for a short time. When he sprawled on the floor at the end of the last lap, Rey stood over him, teasing.

"Let me guess, you can't run in storm trooper armor?"

Finn nodded in agreement, but as Rey reached down to help him to his feet he pulled her off balance and dropped her to floor next to him. 

"Turns out you can't anticipate an attack when you're being sarcastic."

"Something you gleaned from the Jedi texts? 'Thou shalt not mock?'"

They lay on their backs for a while laughing, then decided they were done training. This time they went together and Finn walked Rey to her room, telling her a story about something that happened during his assignment the day before, involving a very sensitive piece of equipment and some extremely strong solvent. It was late and no one was using the refresher, so Rey took her time getting cleaned up and preparing for bed. Even so, when she finally lay down she still felt uneasy. She didn't have the energy to be surprised when she turned and saw Ben across the room from her.

Ben was having another terrible night as well. He couldn't get comfortable. He felt troubled and felt as though he was finally able to pinpoint why. When he saw Rey on the opposite side of his room, he wondered if he had called her to him without realizing it. It was a disconcerting view, seeing the space a meter beyond his bed suddenly transformed into the sparse compartment of her room. Their separate beds were nearly aligned and even in the low light they could see each other's faces. She stared at him, her eyes rimmed in dark circles. She sighed and finally relaxed. 

"I haven't been able to sleep." She said simply.

Ben nodded, sure that his face told the same story. 

"I feel- maybe I can now..." She whispered as her eyes grew heavy. 

Ben watched as her breathing grew deeper and she drifted off. He didn't remember falling asleep, but it was hours before he stirred, and then it was only to check that he could still see her resting quietly on the other side of his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any comments on the path Ben is taking as Supreme Leader? Or development of Finn and Rey's relationship? Please let us know anything on your mind! Thanks again for reading! This has been fun.


	10. Internal Affairs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Schooling her features, though, did nothing to dampen her mood as she directed her attention toward Ben. He was blithely leaning against the wall, looking as if he had been there the whole time, simply enjoying the show.  
> "Well, how long have you been there watching?" Rey said, crossing her arms in mock annoyance.  
> Ben played upon his aloof posture, glancing at his nails like he was bored. "I don't know, did you do that lesson more than 3 times?"  
> Rey couldn't help but laugh. She had expected his habitually austere manner. But Ben actually teasing? It was completely astounding. Rey flopped onto the mat and groaned. "Its so late!" She complained. "Do we have to train tonight? Couldn't we just go to bed instead."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQzS3JnZQZM- The Middle by Zedd, Grey, ft Maren Morris  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpypkvZjJiI - One More Night by Maroon 5  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS4InT7Ycdk - Stay by Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko

Rey awoke late in the morning. She stretched and enjoyed the feeling of being well rested. She turned on her side, but saw only the walls of her own room. It was no surprise, she had slept past breakfast, and she imagined that the duties of a Supreme Leader started early. Feeling motivated, Rey dressed and did her hair, then headed to Command. Today Captain Golst was going to show her more about navigation. 

She hoped that would be more interesting than trying to learn programming. Caulder had been trying to make running the computer systems easier for Rey to understand, but she knew she wasn't picking it up as fast as he hoped. Caulder was very patient with her, but it was probably for the best that they had a break from each other today. Captain Golst was pleasant to work with, he always encouraged Rey to stretch out with the force, to do as much as she could instinctively before learning the standard controls. She appreciated his patience and attentiveness. She enjoyed learning from him, but found herself holding back from getting too personally involved. Ben had told her that looking for familial relationships was her greatest weakness. And though she didn't want to believe it at the time, the idea stuck with her. _Funny that he doesn't see himself as my greatest weakness,_ Rey thought, _I can't even fall asleep at night without being able to hear him breathing across the room._

Rey soon found that there was more to navigation than she had thought. She assumed that the computer did the calculations, gave the Captain the go ahead, and they made the jump. But there was more to it than that. The computer would calculate routes, fuel consumption, efficiency and even a failure percentage rate. It was then up to the Captain to choose the route he felt was best, then the ship had to be aligned in order to follow the predetermined path. After all that was done, more calculations were done to make sure that they wouldn't drop out of lightspeed and run right into another ship. Rey's only experience with mathematics was trying to get the most portions from the parts she had scavenged, so it all seemed a bit overwhelming. The morning was interrupted by an announcement from Leia. Operatives were reporting that the installation schedule of the Enforcer Moons had been delayed. Everyone was in better spirits from then on, and each person seemed to fold themselves into their roles more whole heartedly. The mood of the crew went from living day to day to recapturing a hope for the future. 

With the peace afforded by the delay in Moon installations, life fell into a pattern. Rey and Finn would meet for training and begin with physical exercises, often times running. Then Finn would read excerpts from the Jedi texts and they would try to decipher the application. Rey would say that she was going to use "Jedi Meditation" to figure out the lesson, and as soon as Finn was gone she would have Ben explain it to her. Then Ben would instruct her. Training with Ben varied greatly. Some days it was strenuous exertion that left her ready to drop, other days she would be required to sit and focus all her attention on one item and just observe the energy in and around it. Her favorite sessions were team exercises where her and Ben worked together. It seemed to come so naturally, they had no real trouble getting synchronized. They did team lessons regularly, as Ben was constantly changing the scenarios. At times they were required to battle a holographic enemy outright. Sometimes, they had to be more covert, overcoming an adversary without being detected. There were drills where Rey had to brawl without the use of a limb or blind folded, times when she had to compensate for a feigned injury. And Ben spoke so often during the sessions. His inflection was so soothing, even when he was correcting her mistakes, Rey felt drawn in by his voice. 

The benefits of the training were becoming more noticeable. Rey was calmer and somewhat more disciplined. Her confidence even in learning the Command systems was increasing. Her disposition in general was more cheerful, though privately she had to admit that much of her good humor came from the unorthodox sleeping arrangement that had become routine. Every night her and Ben fell asleep staring across the room at each other. 

Not everything was coming along smoothly, though. Rey had a hard time transmitting what she learned from Ben to Finn. His prowess with the force was increasing, but there was no synchronicity between them. She tried taking him through the team work drills. By the end of each program Finn would be scored as either dead or mortally wounded. Rey was frustrated that they weren't able to coordinate well, but her irritation was tempered by the skill that Finn showed during the sessions. Rey could feel the intensity within him, but she didn't know the best way to direct it. It seemed his greatest strength was also his weakness. Finn found astonishingly creative ways to stop and trap their attackers, but his instinct was to protect was overwhelming. He wanted to stop the assault, but was almost completely unwilling to sacrifice a life. Unless, of course, it was his own. Most often the course ended with Finn sensing an attack directed at Rey and thrusting himself in front of it. Rey found this both irksome and endearing. Mostly, Rey was bothered by her own failure as a teacher. Though not as naturally powerful with the force as she was, Finn obviously had amazing potential. She couldn't help but think that with a skilled instructor he would be able to do so much more. Finn probably would have done great at the Jedi Academy. 

Ben's days were increasingly busy. A flood of force sensitive beings had converged on the Finalizer at his behest. Before their arrival, Ben had delegated out the routine aspects of his position to a considerable number of staff, freeing up the majority of his time for training. He expounded upon his future plans with the Knights of Ren and they were agreeable. Together they outlined a course of action. When everyone had arrived and been accommodated, Ben held an assembly and addressed the reason they had been called in from assignment. 

He delivered his speech calmly, taking in as much of the individual sentiment as he could. There was a great deal of curiosity, Ben kept his transmission intentionally vague. Even now, he only gave them an outline of what was to come. Those present were loyal to Snoke first, then the First Order. Their willingness to conform to a new Supreme Leader and now a new occupation was yet to be ascertained. He informed them that they were to be given more training, then they would be appointed to new positions in different systems with a more "definitive rank". He finished with assurances that these changes would ensure the continued rule of the First Order and bring about a unity never before achieved in the galaxy. The speech received hearty applause, but the true inclination of the group was obscured. These people were agents, they were reserving their judgment on the matter until they had more information. They didn't have to wait long. The next morning each guest received an assignment. They were divided into groups of twelve and each group was under the direction of one of the Knights of Ren. Instruction began at once.

* * * * * * *

Rey was walking to breakfast one morning when she was accosted by Tal Delugin. Ever since meeting him at Leia's conference, he had been popping up all over. He was often patrolling the halls outside of Command and would prod her with questions whenever he saw her. Though Tal gave off an air of openness, there was something about him that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. For this reason she was constantly making excuses to extricate herself from his company. There was little chance of that today, they were both obviously heading towards the mess hall. Tal was prattling on, some gossip about the Enforcer Moons really being mind control stations that the First Order was going to use to brainwash the inhabitants of every system into submission. He asked her what she thought about it. 

Rey smiled tightly and gave an air of nonchalance.

"Oh, I don't know. I haven't actually talked to anyone that was on the scout ship, have you?"

Tal's eyes twinkled and he admitted he had not, but that didn't stop him from plunging headlong into another stream of speculation. Rey was barely listening, but then he said something about her 'Jedi Sense'. 

Rey stopped, "What?"

Tal looked at her curiously, "Well, can't you just sense what they are doing, like read the First Order's intentions, or something? Isn't that what you train for?" 

Rey felt like Tal was poking at a nerve. He seemed really intent on getting something out of her and it seemed like information about her ability with the force was what he wanted. He appeared to be fairly informed about her activities, and now he was trying to pry details out of her.

"My assignment is to learn the details of running Primary Command. The General is in charge of deciding how best to deal with the First Order."

Rey continued walking without waiting for Tal to follow.

Tal watched Rey saunter away and round the corner without looking back. He stood alone for a moment, grinning to himself. He had always found getting people riled up was just as productive a way of getting information as being someone's confidant. It was also more fun. Rey was being slippery, but she had a temper, and he was slowly stoking the coals. A few more abrasive encounters and she would reveal herself. His slimey grin grew broader. He couldn't wait. So why not make use of this opportune breakfast? 

Rey had hoped that her cold shoulder in the hallway would send Tal on his way, but he was undeterred. He brought his plate directly over and shuffled himself in between Poe and Rose, settling himself directly across from Rey. Everyone clammed up a bit at his sudden intrusion. Even Caulder, who was generally oblivious to anything other than a holo screen, seemed put off. Since no one was talking, Tal started in on Poe. 

"There's been talk of the pilots making a raid, taking out some of the First Order's big guns. That's pretty much your specialty right? Bombing that Dreadnought and making it back alive, are you going to be leading this squadron too?"

Rey tuned him out, glad that his attention had turned elsewhere, and focused on her food. Poe, to his credit, did not seem distressed by the barrage of questions. He let Tal jabber on while he silently nursed a cup of kaf. But partway through the bombardment, she noticed Finn's energy had changed. He stood unexpectedly and took his unfinished plate to the disposal, and marched out without a word. Rey left the table immediately and chased after him, everything else forgotten. When she caught up to him in the hall, he turned off into a storage room and waved for her to follow. As soon as the door shut, Finn grabbed Rey's arm.

"Rey, who is that? Do you know him?" He demanded.

Rey was so startled by his harsh manner it took her a minute to answer. "I don't know, he's some security guard who has been hanging around. He just came up to me at a meeting Leia called a few weeks ago. I don't know anything else about him." 

Finn dropped her arm and turned around, sighing loudly. "A security guard? So he was part of the crew before we came on board?"

"Finn, what's wrong?"

Finn turned to her again and put both hands on her shoulders. "Rey, listen to me, you need to stay away from him...that man...he feels like First Order."

Rey's eyes widened. "You think he's a spy?"

Finn hesitated. "There's something about him..."

Rey nodded, "I know, he's been setting me on edge too. But if we are going to take this to Leia, we have to be certain." 

Finn's resolve was gone. "I don't know for sure. And there are so few Resistance fighters left, I don't want to accuse anyone or spread distrust. But please be careful around him."

Finn didn't have to convince her, Rey knew he was good at sensing what was inside others, and she was already put off by Tal's indiscreet manner. Finn promised to meet her for training that evening and they parted. In Command, Rey found Leia was there consulting with Captain Golst and they beckoned her over.

Leia took her hand. "Rey, thank you so much for putting in the effort to learn ins and outs of Command, I know it must not have been easy to do with no technical background."

Rey was suddenly worried. "General, am I being dismissed?"

Leia looked surprised, "No, dear, I just wanted you to know I appreciate what you're doing for us. Captain Golst and I have made the decision to land the ship and we want you to learn how it's done, since it rarely ever happens."

"We're going to land?"

It was Captain Golst who answered. "The ship is in need of repairs, and putting them off could put lives in danger. Normally, we would schedule an overhaul and dock with a First Order station. But considering that we are currently carrying the leaders of the Resistance, that's not exactly an option." 

"Won't an unscheduled landing cause suspicion?" Rey wondered. 

Golst smiled. "Normally, yes, but we have been monitoring a perceived threat here. We are near the Carida system and it has an old naval docking facility that's now being run by the local government. We will report a malfunction and make an emergency landing. Everything will be according to procedure, but we won't be surrounded by officers of the First Order."

Rey smiled. "I'm going to learn how to land a Star Destroyer?"

Ben's days were spent almost entirely in instruction. For the most part, he simply observed. The Knights were perfectly capable of guiding these force sensitives in this new course. But watching and reading the groups was fascinating. There were certain individuals who stood out, their enthusiasm for the training and strength with the force shimmering around them. There was a small number who were aged, these had little experience with using the force for more than mental manipulation and persuasion, but they too were proving themselves valuable. They were better at tapping into all the force signatures around them and drawing off their energy, instead of trying to accomplish every task from their own strength. It was a good influence on the group as a whole as well, they seemed to diffuse patience to those around them. Then there were others who were still clinging to old habits. Trying to overcome obstacles with pure furor, letting malevolence drive their operation. All students reached for this comfort to some extent when pushed hard, but most were adapting to the new standard, incorporating it into their strategy when facing the hurdles the instructors put before them. 

Each evening Ben would meet with the Knights and they would discuss the students at length, determining strengths and weaknesses, making adjustments to the training regimen. They also worked to categorize the students according to their ability. It was in idea that had been in back of Ben's mind for some time, the idea that force sensitives were not created equal. Not just that some were more powerful and some were weaker, but that many were specialized, as if the force were creating intricately designed tools for distinct purposes. Sometimes whole evenings were spent trying to identify and categorize a student's aptitude. It was time consuming, to be sure, but Ben felt strongly about following this course. He could see no other way to maintain the galaxy, for having possession of his full faculties, being able to sense so many of the systems and creatures around him, he had come to realize how close they were to devastation. 

Much to Rey's disappointment, they weren't actually going to land right away. Before they could take that behemoth through atmosphere, a battery of tests and preparations had to be done. She alternated between Caulder and Golst, getting enough specialized information to fill a desert on Jakku. By the time she got through with her shift and dinner she was itching to get to the training arena. Like usual, she arrived first. Tonight, though, she had a fairly specific goal for their session. She had just finished setting up the holo lesson when Finn came in. Before he came over, he stopped and locked the doors. Approaching, he didn't look his usual cheeky self. He seemed... contrite.

"Rey, listen, I'm sorry about breakfast today. I know I'm probably just being paranoid, and I didn't mean to take it out on you."

Rey hadn't even thought about Finn's outburst since that morning, so she was surprised it was still bothering him.

"No, it's fine. I'm not upset, I think you were right, we should be cautious, but not accusatory."

Finn relaxed a bit, "So you won't mind if we keep this room locked while we train?"

Rey shook her head. "Not at all. If anyone really needs us, they will call us on your comm."

Rey was excited to try her new idea so they kept the warm up short and headed into the simulation. It was a fairly basic team exercise. Finn wasn't very excited about running the drill until Rey explained what she wanted him to do.

"Instead of stretching out to sense attacks and enemy positions, first I want you to get a sense of my energy. You are naturally good at sensing other people, so connect to me, then focus on the attack. With an open connection you should be able to read my intentions. Maybe if you can sense that I'm prepared for an onslaught, you won't feel obligated to sacrifice yourself, and I can transmit to you what I want you to do."

Finn listened attentively and then smiled. "Alright, Jedi-ette, let's give it a shot."

Rey rolled her eyes. "Ugh. You're spending too much time with Poe!"

Finn laughed openly and headed into the sim. It took some time to get coordinated, but by the end of the long training session, they had completed one drill where they had both survived the mission. Considering their previous track record, it felt like a huge victory. They were catching their breath and congratulating one another when Rey realized they were not alone. She also suddenly became aware of how long their training session had run over. They had been so absorbed in perfecting the new found strategy, they hadn't noticed the minutes slipping away. Rey made a point to quickly and congenially dismiss Finn. 

Finn feigned injury. "What? You aren't going to walk me home? Tuck me in?" He gave her a broad grin and a wink.

Rey felt a curl of emotion from Ben, and if she hadn't known better, she would have thought Finn was doing it for his benefit.

Rey rolled her eyes again and said conspicuously, "GOODNIGHT, FINN!" as he ambled off toward the door. Just after he stepped out he peaked back in.

"You sure? Last chance, sweetheart!"

Another ripple of irritation. 

Rey threw a cushion at him and he promptly ducked out of the room. But she could here him laughing as he meandered down the hall. Rey watched the door close before turning around; taking the opportunity to wipe the amusement from her face. Schooling her features, though, did nothing to dampen her mood as she directed her attention toward Ben. He was blithely leaning against the wall, looking as if he had been there the whole time, simply enjoying the show.

"Well, how long have you been there watching?" Rey said, crossing her arms in mock annoyance.

Ben played upon his aloof posture, glancing at his nails like he was bored. "I don't know, did you do that lesson more than 3 times?"

Rey couldn't help but laugh. She had expected his habitually austere manner. But Ben actually teasing? It was completely astounding. Rey flopped onto the mat and groaned. "Its so late!" She complained. "Do we have to train tonight? Couldn't we just go to bed instead." 

Rey was sure she turned red from head to toe as she realized the way her words sounded. She went quiet, struggling to conceal her embarrassment, even as she caught the draft of Ben's amusement. When she finally got the courage to look up, Ben was watching her, a little less entertained.

"Perhaps you're right." He said, and disappeared. 

Rey shuffled back to her room. As much as she enjoyed joking with Ben and Finn, once she found herself alone a host of disorienting emotions swam through her. Why had it taken so long for Ben to arrive? If her and Finn had followed their normal pattern of training, she would have been waiting for more than an hour. And then he arrives, snickering and nonchalant, as though the delay meant nothing. Though he had occasionally made comments that seemed to go beyond the interest of a teacher to a student, and though it seemed they both needed each other's companionship at night, she still felt she couldn't be sure of his intent. She had rejected him, so it was possible that his advances were not sincere, that his attention toward her was only for personal satisfaction. No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't be sure what he would do if it she were the one with her hand out to him, saying please. 

She tried to silence these thoughts as she readied herself for bed, but by the time Ben reappeared, her calm was shredded.

"Why were you late tonight?"

She could tell the question unnerved him a bit. Besides a brief conversation the first night they found themselves in each other's presence, they did not speak at night. 

Rey didn't let up.

"Why were you late tonight? If Finn and I hadn't run over on our training, I would have been..."

Ben's eyes moved over her, almost critically. "What? Angry? That's new for you."

She could tell he didn't want to get into an argument. Already she could see the exhaustion weighing heavily on him. He wanted to succumb to the peace they found in eachother's eyes. But she couldn't let it go. She sat heavily on her bunk and pulled her knees into her chest. "Terrified." She said quietly.

But Ben's day had been especially demanding. First thing in the morning he met with the staff that was handling the day to day affairs. He did this every morning. He wanted to make sure even small matters were being attended to according to his wishes. His intention was to change the way the First Order managed the galaxy, and he knew that meant scrutinizing all aspects under his control. After that was a meeting with his generals on the militaristic facet of matters. There he was presented with a report on the Enforcer Moon around Silbatta, which had a test scheduled for that morning to determine how much weapons accuracy had been improved. Ben made room in his schedule to observe the trial as it happened. There was a conference with the technicians afterward. He was just able to fit a meager lunch in before meeting the Knights and their students. The students put on demonstrations of ability. It was an effective way to see which areas each one excelled in, but it took a lot of time and continued connection with the force. Afterwards was a meeting with the Knights. 

It was late into the night when he was finally alone and able to connect with Rey. Seeing her and Finn successfully working through a simulation was a surprise. He had been carrying a knot in his stomach, thinking that by the time he linked with her, she would be fast asleep, unaffected by his absence, and he would already be forgotten. Finding them thus engaged had loosened the strain of his suppositions. He didn't want to distract her, so he quietly surveyed their method from the sidelines. Rey wasn't instructing Finn. She was transmitting strategy to him. It was a crude connection, images and feelings, but they seemed to have streamlined it into a workable partnership. Watching them, Ben relaxed. All the tension of the day abated. The students he had brought to the Finalizer were the best possible candidates for molding into virtually invincible force users, and yet they struggled with lessons and especially teamwork. Then there were these two, bungling along on sparse knowledge and experience, who were nearly polar opposites with regard to the force, and yet they overcame the perceivable difference, and coordinated. It almost made him want to laugh. And maybe he even felt a hint of pride toward then. The achievement had put Rey in a good mood as well, and they agreed to skip training and get some sleep. It was exactly what Ben wanted to hear. 

For some reason, though, Rey's attitude changed. By the time they were ready to retire, she had become tense and irritable. Though they didn't speak at night, she started questioning him. Ben was so drained he could barely bring himself to consider what was irking her now. He snapped at her, but instead of snapping back, she confessed a concern for him that he hadn't guessed at. All at once he was awake and she had his full attention. Without thinking he sat beside her and folded an arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him and he felt a stream of long held insecurities break loose and spill over him. 

Ben cringed as he realized his mistake. Of course she would have been bothered by his late arrival. Most of her life had been spent waiting to no avail. She was desperate to feel that she could not be easily put off by someone she cared about. Beyond that she carried a fear of something happening to him. Some revolt, or conspiring traitor slaying him while she was too far away to help. Even deeper, nearly subconsciously, there was an illogical part of her that blamed Han and Luke for also leaving her alone, just as she was beginning to care for them. Ben knew what she needed; he had to reciprocate her feelings. So he opened his own reservoir of anxiety to her. Starting with the alarm he had felt at the idea that she would easily forget him. Then letting her sense the scope of his own feelings of loneliness and abandonment. She looked up at him with tears streaming, awe and understanding in her eyes. She tucked herself back against his chest and pushed as much empathy and compassion as she could muster towards him. The squal of emotion coalesced flawlessly, becoming an eddy of feelings circulating between them. The experience was both painful and cathartic, and they found themselves wrapped in each other's arms, clinging to each other. 

At length, when the darkest of impressions had been pacified, Rey fell asleep, and Ben gently loosened himself from her grasp, laid her carefully on the bunk, and pulled the blanket around her. Before going back to his own bed, he knelt in front of her and brushed a stray hair from her face. Then he whispered, "I meant it when I said you were not alone. Tomorrow, I'll tell you everything."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does anyone have any theories? You know... I used to think this was just a phase... but it's not fading. And I feel like there's more and more and more support out there and lovers of Reylo. Thank you everyone!


	11. Final Approach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey awoke with a pounding headache. Though she had slept deep and dreamless she still felt worn. She thought about the night before with Ben. It seemed plumbing the depths of their mutual torment had left her with an emotional hangover. She groaned aloud as she tried to stretch out her coiled muscles. 
> 
> "You should take something for that." 
> 
> Rey gasped loudly. She stared, disbelieving at Ben sitting on the edge of his bed across from her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a short chapter. Maybe I'll speed things along here. We are getting to the meat and potatoes!! The main dish! The entrée!   
> We'd love to hear some feedback. Have the characters developed to your liking? Have we gone soft? Any predictions?
> 
> For your listening pleasure:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmxICK-4AG4 - Angel of the Morning by Juice Newton (going old school)  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcaL-N0AiDw - One Foot by Walk the Moon (this to me, is a quintessential Reylo song!)

Mala had been on the Finalizer for four and a half weeks. She had familiarized herself with the majority of the ship's layout. She had faithfully attended every grueling force training session. She had fraternized with the crew and the other students, even gained access to some of the oft-used conference rooms. Still she had no idea what Kylo Ren was planning. Whatever he was up to, he was keeping it very close to the vest. Not even Hux was privy to that information. It was no wonder, Hux was busy obsessing over weapons calibrations on the Enforcer Moons. He was doing everything in his considerable power to re-commence installation across the galaxy. She couldn't fault him, though. Those Moons were astounding. The new design eliminated so many of the flaws of their predecessors. Once they were all positioned the First Order would have every system under its thumb. It seemed that nearly a dozen had already been produced, and once the prototype around Silbatta was suitably attuned, they could be orbited quite easily. Well, she would just have to be patient. Opportunity would present itself, she simply had to make herself available. 

Back in her bunk Rey awoke with a pounding headache. Though she had slept deep and dreamless she still felt worn. She thought about the night before with Ben. It seemed plumbing the depths of their mutual torment had left her with an emotional hangover. She groaned aloud as she tried to stretch out her coiled muscles. 

"You should take something for that." 

Rey gasped loudly. She stared, disbelieving at Ben sitting on the edge of his bed across from her. In all the time that they had shared their nights, she'd never once awoke to find him still there. Even when she rose early, he was always gone. This morning he was already dressed and holding a holo screen, as if he had already begun working from the edge of his perfectly made bed.

"Should... should you be here?" Rey asked thickly, still trying to rouse herself. "I mean, shouldn't you be Supreme Leadering?"

Ben's eyes twinkled in amusement and the corner of his mouth twitched into what could only be called a grin. "I had an especially long day yesterday, so I rearranged my schedule to have some time to myself and to clean my chambers.”

Rey frowned, wondering if she were still somehow dreaming. "You... do your own...cleaning?"

Ben was even more entertained at this. "It ensures that my private affairs stay private. Even droids can be reprogrammed to record data or copy holo files."

Rey found herself unable to do more than blink. And stare. 

Ben put down his holo screen and leaned forward. "I also swept for bugs, so no one will hear us, well, if anyone else can hear you. That I don't know honestly.” 

Rey's eyes widened. Her mind raced with ideas of what he meant for people to hear. Before she could put too many imaginary scenarios together Ben continued, “I've been meaning to talk to you. You need to hear what I have planned. For the galaxy, the First Order, and the Resistance." 

Ben had her full attention and she struggled to a seated position. Though her body was screaming for a hearty breakfast and even a cup of that awful kaf, she focused everything she had on what he was saying.

Ben started explaining his work with the nights of Ren and the other force sensitives. He related how they would be stationed and what their new roles would be. He moved on to the use of the Enforcer Moons, how they could not only benefit the First Order, but also the systems they orbited. 

Rey breathed relief at this explanation. "You weren't lying. Those Moons have nothing to do with wiping out the Resistance!"

Ben looked at her curiously, like he was surprised by her reasoning. "I've never lied to you, Rey." He said matter of factly, then continued elaborating on his plans. She missed what he said next entirely, as that statement resounded in her ears. She could feel his sincerity, but ever since Ben had chosen to stay with the First Order she subconsciously felt that he was somehow deceitful, conniving. Even as she had given herself over to his training, a part of her had always been waiting for things to take a turn for the worse. This realization, along with the good things Ben was expounding upon, caused her to suddenly interrupt.

"Why haven't you joined the Resistance? If that's how you really feel, come fight with us!" The idea made Rey's heart hammer, making the pain behind her eyes excruciating, but she couldn't curb her excitement.

Ben sighed, looking at the floor for a moment. She felt his disappointment, but she didn't understand it until he said, "Because the Resistance is wrong. Their objective is to overthrow. The First Order doesn't need to be brought down, it needs to be reformed. Just as the Resistance doesn't need to be destroyed, they need to be allied. What change can be made with a small group of rag tag idealists when I actually have a seat of power now."

Rey's enthusiasm was snuffed as quickly as a candle doused in water. For a brief moment, she had a hope of connecting with Ben in person, and now she was saddened by the loss of that hope. She pushed the disappointment aside, again focusing on what Ben was saying. She had to admit he was right. He was able to make large scale changes if he so desired. Next he was describing how the current arrangement of governance would only have to be slightly altered, then the people and the individual systems would be able to achieve a harmony that was currently lacking.

This. Rey thought, this is what makes him a leader. Rather than trying to pressure the galaxy into submission, he was guiding them to the best chance of survival. Rey closed her eyes, letting the idea of a unified galaxy ease away some of her tension.

Waiting for Rey to wake up, sharing his vision with her, the promise they made as they parted to discuss it at greater length tonight after training; these were the considerations that occupied Ben's mind as he made his way to the training arena to observe the progress of the students. It was relief to finally make these things known to her. Though not yet developed, this was the intention that he had been asking her to put faith in when they were alone in the throne room. It hadn't been the right time then. Rey's hope for peace had been wrapped up in the Resistance, and their imminent destruction left her too single-minded to consider what he was offering. Even now, Rey's thoughts fixated on the oddest things. Rather than being impressed with the overall transformation of the First Order's dominion, she was brooding over their trust issues. Then she brought up about joining the Rebellion. Again. Things were never easy where Rey was concerned. But then, he had never been one to take the easy way out. Coming to the arena doors, Ben quieted his personal contemplation and prepared himself for scrutinizing the students.

Watching the training was fascinating. The students were becoming more adept, more fluid in physical force manipulation. They still had trouble with teamwork, but it was something that would come in time. These students still didn't know the ultimate purpose behind this training. Once they understood their station and responsibility they would likely be more open to working together. Ben noticed the students were starting to display the style and techniques that characterized their teachers. Perhaps the groups should rotate periodically between instructors in order to get a more rounded education? He would consult with the Knights this evening and hear their proposals. 

The suggestions made by his Knights were well thought out and in the best interests of all the students. Ben was proud of his companions, they were working wholeheartedly at instructing. The decision was made that the students would rotate instructors, but not permanently or for long periods of time. The Knights had also noticed the students' difficulty in teamwork, and their tendency for distrust. Though shuffling the groups between instructors could expose them to a wider range of techniques, separating them from the teachers they've had from the beginning would only make them more wary and independent. The personal relationship between instructor and student had to be fostered. Ben's plan had been to begin separating the elite to train them personally, but now he reconsidered. Perhaps he could simply join a class and do one on one tutoring. Ben shelved the thought for a moment. There were other things to consider, they had reached the stage where the students would begin to design armament. There would come a time when these recruits would be sent out to acquire kyber crystals and construct lightsabers, but it would have to wait. In the mean time, it had been decided that each student should develop a personalized apparatus and practice using it. Weapons fabrication began the next day. 

General Hux had been working day and night to get the Enforcer Moon in pristine condition. Though he cursed the delay Ren had imposed, he used the time to his advantage. Most of the actual work on the Silbatta satellite had to be done by the crew and technicians stationed there, he could only arrange for material transports, research reports and set deadlines. He would pass through orders for the other Moons to be completed and readied for installation. Kylo Ren was so consumed with his little force-user side project that he had left most operations in the hands of First Order operatives, nearly all of which could be made to answer to Hux. His word was unquestioned and his will was being carried out. There was still much to be arranged, but it wouldn't be long before this regime was referring to him as Supreme Leader. 

* * * * * * *

Rey practically ran to the mess hall. She had stumbled to her assignment just in time this morning, still reeling from Ben's revelations and the soreness racking her body. Caulder looked at her as if she had just sprouted fur. 

"Aaaah, rough night?" He asked in his normally unpolished manner.

Rey scrunched up her face at him, noticing he was similarly disheveled. 

"Apologies, Your Majesty. I see you came looking your best."

Caulder smiled ruefully and stretched his back. "Yeah, I pulled an all nighter here reviewing the last of the calculations for atmospheric entry."

Rey perked up. "Is that today? Are we going to begin descending?" 

Caulder nodded, enthusiasm blossoming across his face. "I'm sending a droid for kaf, you want a cup?"

Rey rubbed her forehead. "Make it two."

They had spent all morning downing kaf and adjusting controls as the destroyer swung into rotation around Carida. Unlike jumping to lightspeed, every part of the landing would be under manual control. They effectively parked the ship in orbit just in time for lunch. And Caulder suggested a race. Bursting into the mess, she found him already holding two half filled plates.

"What?? There's no way you could have gotten here before me!" 

Caulder gave an uncharacteristic smirk that made his eyes look even more puffy. "Face it, Force Princess, I know my way around this rig way better than you do." 

Caulder's cocky demeanor was so ridiculous it threw Rey into a fit of giggles. Caulder joined in, nearly dropping the plates he had loaded up.

"Come on" he gasped out between laughs, "That kaf has made you shaky."

She took his arm and together they teetered like drunks to the table. As soon as they sat, they tore into the food like ravenous animals. The meal did little to calm them, so they were still giddy when Finn and Rose joined them. Finn shook his head. "And I thought yesterday's monster training session was hard on me!"

Caulder snickered, "Extra training? Is that why you look like you've been run over by a varactyl?"

Rey looked at him primly, "Yes...What's your excuse?" More peels of laughter. Across the table Finn and Rose exchanged a look. 

Rose asked, "Are you guys ok?"

Rey gave her a crooked smile, suddenly feeling especially tired. Caulder sat staring at a piece of bread as if he had forgotten what he was doing.

"Of Course." Rey said lazily.

Rose looked like she was about to say something more, but just then Poe arrived. He clapped Caulder on back. "So, I hear the Oblivious is hitting ground today!" 

Caulder cheered, holding his water up as if it were a toast, "The Oblivious!" Everyone around the table chuckled while Rey stared, confused. Finally she turned to Caulder. 

"What's oblivious?"

Caulder glanced at her, blinking his eyes like he was having trouble keeping them open.

"Its the ship... this ship? Yeah, the First Order named it the Oblivion, but since we commandeered it, and they don't know...Oblivious kinda stuck. You get it?"

Everyone at the table was staring at Rey. Then Finn coughed. "Ah, Rey? All this time you've been on this ship and you didn't know the name?"

And now it was everyone else's turn to roar with laughter. Rey smiled sleepily and leaned heavily against the table, trying to remember if she had ever heard the name of the ship before. Rose looked at her again. "Ok, you are definitely not ok. I'm taking you to your room. Finn, do the same with Caulder, you two have been working too hard."

Rey was amazed she was able to sleep again. The rest of the afternoon she spent unconscious, until a couple hours before dinner there was a knock on her door. She opened it to find Caulder, freshly bathed and changed, hair neatly combed. He looked especially pleased with himself. "We have almost hit the entry point. You've got a few minutes to... fix this mess." He gestured at all of her.

Rey suddenly realized she had been in the same clothes for two days and couldn't wait to get cleaned up. She nodded excitedly and practically slammed the door in Caulder's face. Gathering up her clothes she jogged to the refresher and washed away hours of strain. Feeling significantly better, she popped into Command and took her seat next to Caulder. 

"Just in time, Princess. You can enter the initial descent sequence." He slid a cup of hot liquid toward her. She regarded it hesitantly. "Don't worry, its tea."

Rey smiled, accepting the cup and took a moment to breathe, connecting herself to the force. Feeling ready, she focused on the task at hand. She could see the numbers in her mind, but she double checked the code just to be safe. It took some time, but gradually she could feel the shift as the Oblivion pierced the atmosphere and began sinking toward the terrain. It took hours. Everyone in command was making continuous adjustments of one kind or another. They had to stabilize against the increasing pressure and weather now assaulting the vessel. There were some that were matching the ship's climate to that of the planet so that the personnel would be adapted to the environment when they disembarked. There were others that were monitoring and adjusting trajectory to make sure they could dock without incident. It was wearisome work, there was a multitude of orientations that had to take place to bring the enormous ship down safely. When Rey wasn't directly involved in making corrections, she was connecting to the ship and the energy of the technicians, sensing the process through the force. Captain Golst arranged for the crew to take short rotating breaks and had sandwiches sent up so they could work through dinner. The last hour was brimming with tension as they finally made the approach and locked into the docking bay. The Oblivion had arrived on Carida.


	12. Carida

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey readied herself to leave cover and sprint to the door, but before she could take a step, Finn's hand clamped over her mouth and he dragged her back the way they had come. Rey was furious by the time Finn pulled her behind a remote hill and let her go.   
> "Are you insane? What are you doing?? They are about to start torturing the crew, we have to get in there NOW!"  
> Finn was strained but calm. "No we don't. That's exactly what they want us to do."   
> "What? Finn, we need to rescue them!"  
> Finn looked at her gravely. "Rey, this whole thing is a set up."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a long chapter. Hope it's exciting for you!
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYU9hrvIYUA - Battlefield by Jordin Sparks

The stop on Carida would take two weeks. Captain Golst had made a schedule for the crew to get some shore leave, but strict guidelines had to be followed. There was literally a seminar held detailing a code of conduct. Every person going off ship had to adhere to First Order dress code, hours of signing in and out of the dock, and absolutely no discussion of Resistance business. In fact, discussing just about anything was pretty much off limits. The basic rule for going planet side was: Enjoy terra firma, keep your head down and your mouth shut. 

Rey didn't have to worry about it, she wouldn't see land on this trip. Captain Golst and Leia had been apologetic, but the fact was she was too recognizable. She and Finn had received the news together. Even if suitably disguised, the rebel heroes who took down Star Killer base would likely be noticed. Leia and Chewie were similarly confined. Besides a desire to experience more of the galaxy, Rey wasn't terribly disappointed. She hadn't been ship side long enough to get cabin fever. There was still so much of the Star Destroyer that she hadn't seen. She had no idea where Rose worked or what assignment Poe had. Finn was more crestfallen, having spent most of his life in space, but he channeled his disappointment into developing his technique with the force. They used the extra time to perfect their teamwork. 

During training sessions they got used to each other's style, and Finn had become proficient at not only reading Rey's cues, but transmitting his own input. They could effectively battle the hardest training sims while taking minimal damage. Rey's continued training with Ben went on as usual, but with a more open atmosphere. Though the training was always formal, it was too much to ask that they be completely reserved when so much had been shared between them. Rey continued to be amazed at how much there was to learn. There were so many different methods and avenues of using the force. As soon as she felt as though she was mastering one feature, she would learn she had only scratched the surface. Still her confidence grew. Ben's teaching was always supportive, so she threw herself wholeheartedly into each lesson. And each night they discussed the work Ben was doing to rehabilitate the First Order. Rey would fall asleep picturing a galaxy finally healed of its dreadful illness.

Trouble came about 4 days before they were scheduled to depart. Shore leave was rotating around the clock to accommodate the massive crew. The group that went out just before morning did not check in at the appointed time. Not one of the 60 crew members who had signed out had returned. A security team was sent out to investigate and the ship quickly lost contact with them as well. After the second security team went silent without a single report as to what was happening, the ship went on lockdown. Rey was on her way to Command when it happened. Security team members flew past her in the hall and a six member guard was stationed outside of Command. The announcement was yet to be made, but Rey could feel the tension. Caulder was absent from their work station. Rey initiated some basic protocols, but felt directionless without Caulder. She looked around, noticing that only half the technicians were at their stations. The whole feel of the room was off, and so Rey approached Captain Golst, though he looked especially occupied. 

"Captain, is Caulder coming in today? He isn't ill, is he?"

Captain Golst mumbled something about shore leave but wouldn't meet her eye. Abruptly he turned and busied himself at another station. Rey plodded back to her own just as the Captain tapped into the ship wide comm and delivered the news. It was an intentionally vague report about a security threat that was being investigated and so effective immediately the ship was being put on lockdown. Rey was shocked. Hadn't the captain just said there were still crew members out on shore leave? How could they go into lockdown without boarding the rest of the crew?

Not long after the official announcement, Leia entered to speak with Captain Golst. They consulted in hushed tones that were nearly inaudible. Something was nagging at the back of Rey's mind... something Finn had read to her from the Jedi Texts... or was it just a fragment she had plucked from Ben's mind? Her command post forgotten, Rey stretched out with the force and tapped into the conversation. At first it was just snippets.

"...don't like it either, but we..." 

"...safety of the rest of the crew to consider..."

Rey worked at fine tuning this facet of force use, and was finally able to plug into the entirety of the exchange. She was horrified by what she learned. She waited for ten agonizing minutes after Leia left before she abandoned her work station, made an excuse to Captain Golst, and rushed to Finn.

Finn was in a locker room and Rey nearly burst in before she realized that he was probably not alone, and it was likely reserved for his gender. Instead she reached out to him in the force, projecting urgency. He responded with the idea of a nearby location, an empty conference room. 

Rey was having a hard time controlling her breathing by the time Finn got there. As soon as he shut the door she said, "I know why they locked down the ship."

* * * * * * * * * *

Working on weapons construction was more fruitful than Ben had imagined. The students had formed each device passionately. One student, a hulking gargoyle of a man had fashioned a mace of sorts, the barbs of which were ejectable. The handle boasted an electro-disruptor that could be used to paralyze an assailant, and, applied long enough, likely stop a heart. Another, a severe looking wisp of a girl, presented something that looked like a stringed instrument. It turned out to be more of a bow that could shoot thin, razor sharp discs in multiple directions when plucked. A shaggy haired older man presented a type of sling that could self load explosive projectiles. An adjustment from the wearer also extended a small shield. One student had crafted cuffs that spread from her wrists to her elbows. From a control pad in her hand, she could extend and retract seven inch long daggers out of a shaft near the elbow. The cuffs were strong enough to block the strike of a sword, and the top of the wrist shot poisonous darts. There was a myriad of axe, sword, and staff weapons, all of them displaying unique features specifically tuned to the originator. 

Ben was unquestionably impressed. Not only had the armament been skillfully produced, the students were already showing great proficiency in using them. But Ben felt a twinge of discomfort. These accoutrements were disproportionately directed toward the offensive. There were a few exceptions, but over all little regard had been given to defense. Also, the students had crafted their equipment to lay waste to an enemy. Not one thought was given to restraining or capturing an opponent. Ben sighed, the fault was his own. He still hadn't entrusted the group with the details of their new assignments, so they had crafted weapons based on supposition rather than understanding. Likely they were expecting war. He should have anticipated this. Although, he thought ruefully, the result probably wouldn't have been much different had they been informed of their predestined roles. Even at the height of the Jedi Order, the keepers of the peace had never moved beyond lightsabers, clear instruments of assault. So how could he expect dark side spies being reconditioned to produce more sanguine instruments? He would have to be more mindful of the depth to which old thinking was entrenched in the First Order. He could not rectify the mistakes of the past if he did not give them proper consideration. 

*

Finn stared at Rey, disbelieving. "Ok, let's skip the fact that that was a shameful breach of privacy, are you absolutely sure?"

Rey self consciously cracked her knuckles. "I didn't pick up everything, it took me awhile to figure out how, but I do know that the last crew sent on shore leave went missing without a word, as well as two security teams that went looking for them." 

Rey did not mention that most of that information came from the thoughts she picked up from Leia and the Captain, rather than the actual spoken conversation. 

"But the lockdown isn't the worst of it," She added quickly. "They're thinking of taking off without them!"

Finn considered for a moment. "Leia wouldn't just abandon them. Most likely the ship would park in orbit and they would shuttle search teams back to the surface."

Rey was not comforted. "But how long will that take? A few days? Anything could have happened to them by then."

Finn narrowed his eyes, "What are you suggesting?"

"We could find them, Finn. It would be just like a training sim. But we have to go now."

Finn sighed and wiped a hand down his face. Rey watched him closely. 

"Finn," She said softly, "Caulder is in that group." 

He blinked hard and seemed to make his decision. He was thinking of a specific equipment room not far from where they were. "Meet me there in twenty minutes."

Tal was livid, pacing back and forth in his quarters. Going planet side was exactly the opportunity he needed to check in with the First Order, but before he could get his rotation of shore leave the ship had gone into lockdown. What had those idiots in the predawn shift gotten themselves into? There wasn't that commanding of a First Order presence here; the fools would have had to have been broadcasting that they were Resistance in order to get arrested. Even then, surely some of them would have made it back to report. Perhaps he could get sent out on a recovery team, but it would be nearly impossible to break away and send a transmission undetected. Tal smiled to himself. Nearly impossible for anyone else, he thought, but surely a force sensitive spy could find a way. Besides, he couldn't possibly allow this fortuitous landing to slip by without taking advantage of it. Tal hurried to his superior officer to make himself available for deployment. 

The equipment room Finn had directed he and Rey to had an assortment of uniforms, armor and weaponry. Finn sorted through it carefully as he rushed through statistics. 

"Ok, this ship is operating with a skeleton crew of nearly 10,000. To accommodate everyone in the time that we scheduled here on Carida, crews taking shore leave were made up of 60 to 70 people and released around the clock for 3 hours at a time. Let's assume it was a group of 70. And two security teams were dispatched to find them and similarly disappeared?"

Finn glanced at Rey for confirmation. She nodded and he continued. "Then we are looking for roughly 100 people. And... ah here it is!" Finn produced a wretched looking outfit that had been carefully tucked behind the uniforms and thrust it toward her. "Welcome to your new fashion statement." Rey looked at the clothing in disgust. It looked like beggars rags. She could clearly see dust and grime clinging to the worn seams. It was no illusion, the garments were genuinely filthy.

"You expect me to wear that?"

Finn's lips twitched with an only partly restrained smile. "As much as I would like to see you in a storm trooper uniform, and, oh I would, First Order gear would make us too conspicuous, especially during a lockdown. If we are going to pull this off, we need to look like the locals, preferably grimy ones that no one wants to get to close to." 

Rey still hesitated, but Finn shot her a look and she snatched the garment from his hand and began pulling it on over her usual attire. When she was finished, she was almost completely covered in some roughly patched overalls, a thick scarf that hooded her head and part of her face, and goggles. There was even a pair of work gloves. Finn looked like a pirate. He had a cap that not only covered his hair, but pulled down over his ears and neck, a long coat that came down past his knees and a noticeable artillery belt around his waist. She had to admit, it was pretty convincing. No one would recognize them. 

"Where did you get this stuff?" Rey suddenly wondered.

"I had Poe raid the lockers down at the docks, they are filled with old equipment the Resistance had when they took over. He's been in town several times to help obtain supplies and repair parts, so he knows what we need to blend in."

"You told Poe?" Rey asked feeling slightly betrayed.

Finn stopped strapping on his boots to look at her. "Rey, 100 people from this ship have gone missing without a trace. We can't just run off without mentioning it to anyone. We have to take precautions. Poe will keep it to himself unless something goes horribly wrong. That nasty thing you are wearing has a locator in it so he can keep track of us and send back up if necessary."

Rey smiled nervously and nodded, the seriousness of what they were attempting finally setting in. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, finding as much balance as she could. When she opened her eyes, Finn was prying a panel back from the wall. He saw her watching him and explained. "This is our way out."

"Is that a... garbage shoot?" 

Finn grinned, "No worries, Princess, today you are an engine maintenance droid." 

* * * * * * * *

Mala made a point of coincidentally being in the passageway that Kylo Ren was pacing down after the weapons demonstration was over. The evening was wearing away and Mala knew this would likely be her only chance to encounter him before he vanished for the rest of the night. They met rounding a corner, and Mala pretended to be startled, but transmitted sincerity to cover the intention. 

"Oh, Master, good evening."

Ren had stopped at her sudden appearance and folded his hands behind his back, carefully inspecting her. Now she diffused a slight embarrassment and lowered her eyes to the floor. Finally Ren spoke. 

"Mala Golst."

Mala thought she caught a hint of recognition in his voice before he said, "It's been some time."

Good. Mala thought privately, he does remember me. Openly she let slip an awkward pride at being remembered and vague memories of when they had met years before.

"The device that you crafted is quite remarkable. Was the design completely original, or have you come across something like it before?" Ren asked.

Hmmm. All business, thought Mala. Despite the fact that she was doing everything in her power to make him feel at ease.

She smiled appropriately. "A senator I had the pleasure of working with on Naboo would commission extravagant gowns that always contained secret compartments, hidden holsters, and ammunition. She appeared to be delicate and fussy, but she was practiced and armed to the teeth. The inspiration for creating a device that looked like nothing more than a lady's vanity came from her, the specific architecture of my cuffs came from me." 

Ren gave a slight nod. "Very good. You are doing well with your training. Now, if you would excuse me, I must be going."

With that he slipped past her and strode out of sight. Mala continued on her way, thinking about what she had learned from the encounter. Whereas whispers of thought and emotion were sometimes discernible from the Knights teaching them, reaching out to read Kylo Ren was like running your hand over an obsidian cylinder; smooth as glass and seamless. Even the comforting environment of a star struck old friend could not charm a hint of sentiment from him. The lack of response said nearly as much as a crack in his armor would have. Whatever Kylo Ren was planning, it was very important to him. This endeavor, whatever it turned out to be, was all consuming, nothing could distract or dissuade him from his goal. 

* 

Rey and Finn spent all day meandering around the town, sweltering in their mucky disguises. But their labor was not in vain. They had found the most effective way of gathering information was to drop like beggars at the side of a tavern, pretending to rest. From there they would cast out with the force, feeling into conversations and the rumors in patron's minds. There was talk of the First Order crew and the business they were bringing in, but nothing concrete until Finn hit upon some concern over a population of bounty hunters that had been materializing around the area. They followed the thread to a disreputable looking establishment outside of town. Hidden behind the forest foliage, they scanned the building. Individuals of varying shapes and sizes inhabited the structure and grounds. Rey and Finn shifted into team mode, Rey examining the discernible figures while Finn surveyed the surroundings. The sun was setting and customers were slowly making their way inside. The whole aura of the place was surprisingly low key, Rey had been expecting brawls and blood. In truth, she had expected to be in the thick of it, combating through a pack of lowlifes to release the Resistance fighters from whatever unholiness they were being subjected to. All the waiting around was making her twitchy. They caught a break when a few heavily armed individuals conferenced just a short distance from where they were hidden. One was demanding information from the other two.

"Patrol Leader: Report."

"No other Resistance fighters have been found. It's likely they have initiated a lockdown." 

"Guard Captain, what is the status of the prisoners?"

"They are all confined in the auxiliary room of this building. At your word I will bring extracting information. We should have access codes and security details by morning. We will be able to move on their ship by tomorrow night."

The Inquirer sounded surprised, "You'll have all the information by sun up?"

"I can be very persuasive." The Guard Captain produced a nasty looking device that promised to deliver a variety of wounds and pain. "I let them watch while I use it on the first couple people. After that they beg to tell me what they know."

The Inquirer seemed satisfied. "You have my permission to begin the extraction. How many men will you need with you?"

"I'll keep the six guards, Patrol can return to camp if you're finished with them."

The Inquirer agreed and dismissed the meeting with a flick of his hand; he and the Patrol Leader setting down a path to their left while the Guard Captain turned to the building and went around the back.

This is it. Rey thought. She started to slink cautiously through the underbrush circling toward the rear of the structure. But when she glanced back at Finn he was still in the same spot, staring fixedly at where the informal meeting had taken place. 

"Finn!" She hissed. Finn finally looked at her, brow furrowed. She motioned for him to follow, and after one more glance at the empty space he had been pondering, he crawled after her. Sticking to the treeline, they made their way carefully around until they could just see a door at the back. Rey stretched out, feeling inside, getting the layout of the rooms. She found a large group of people and the obvious presence of the 7 guards. Rey began to transmit her plan to Finn. They would approach quietly and try to enter unnoticed. Once inside, they would go directly to the room with the captives. They would catch the guard by surprise. Rey readied herself to leave cover and sprint to the door, but before she could take a step, Finn's hand clamped over her mouth and he dragged her back the way they had come. Rey was furious by the time Finn pulled her behind a remote hill and let her go. 

"Are you insane? What are you doing?? They are about to start torturing the crew, we have to get in there NOW!"

Finn was strained but calm. "No we don't. That's exactly what they want us to do." 

"What? Finn, we need to rescue them!"

Finn looked at her gravely. "Rey, this whole thing is a set up."

Rey tried to make sense of what Finn was telling her, but she still felt stuck in attack mode. "Wha... what are you saying? We just overheard the whole plan, our crew is right down in that building and they need our help!"

Finn was staring at her incredulously. "It was a lie, Rey... couldn't you feel it?"

Finn must have seen it on her face, because now he snatched her hand and closed his eyes. Rey did the same. It was like looking through a magnifying glass, combining their power to reach through the force. Finn guided her back to the tavern. Now she sensed the people there-in with a different slant. They weren't simply sedate, they were playing a role. There was no uproar of emotion, no brewing conflict. They were waiting. With Rey's cooperation, they were able to use the force to push through to the auxiliary room. Rey's heart lurched as she felt a mass of people there. But she could sense now that they too were unaffected. No gruesome torture was taking place... they weren't captives, it was an ambush! 

Finn released Rey's hand the moment she recognized the truth. He was sweating from the effort of leading the maneuver, and he had to lean back against the outcropping of rock to rest. Rey was angry with herself for almost being drawn in by the pretense. If it hadn't been for Finn's specific sensitivity, she would likely be another unaccounted for crew member. Finn's breathing had slowed, but he still seemed to be recovering, so Rey took her time breathing and balancing. She thought back to training sessions with Ben, when he would make her sit and be perfectly still. When all she could do was feel what was around her and connect with it. Remembering those initial lessons, feeling the strange mixture of awe and distrust that had always accompanied Ben's presence, and the realization of how far they had come, how secure they were together now, Rey felt a release. The force suddenly opened to her, though she hadn't realized she had been restricted, and now she could see so much more. She felt a pull to the tavern, her mind speeding along the thoughts of those within until they pointed her to a place just beyond a craggy ridge. She couldn't see it, but she understood what was there.

Her eyes flew open "Finn!" 

Finn was just finishing a comm with Poe. They had been diligently checking in since they left, notifying him of every move, and every suspicion they had as to what happened to the crew. They had also given directions and points of reference in case their was a problem with the locators hidden in their clothes.

"I know where the camp is!" Rey took his hand and showed him what she had just seen. It was slower this time, leading Finn. He was more attuned to the individuals, reading more from them than Rey had. Together, they could see just past the ridge. There was a substantial camp below, with enough tents and improvised structures to accommodate a few hundred people. Rey and Finn snapped back to their immediate surroundings.

"Something's happening," they said together. 

They crept back toward the establishment. Before they got to the spot they had been watching from, Finn pulled Rey close and spoke into her ear. 

"There are three snipers in trees at the edge of the clearing armed with tranq darts. Make sure you stay clear."

Rey nodded and they carefully pulled themselves into the underbrush to get a better look. As they watched, a security team quietly approached the building. Five of them cautiously advanced on the front entrance while 3 more went around to the back. The others strategically placed themselves in cover outside until the place was surrounded. There was little time wasted before the sounds of an altercation broke out within. At the hint of a fight, those outside started to move in, but before they could reach the door they were picked off silently by the snipers and crumpled to the ground. It was over in a matter of minutes, the security team had walked right into the trap and been completely shut down. It didn't take long at all for the newly imprisoned team to be bound and sent out with a guard. They went straight toward the ridge that the camp lay beyond. Rey counted to be sure the whole unit was there. They waited until the prisoner transport had gotten a ways away before carefully creeping back into the forest. They went back to the outcropping of rock, feeling like they could safely make a plan without being discovered. Finn started in as soon as they got there. 

"Ok, most of the bounty hunters are in the tavern waiting to pick off security teams, but a third or so are keeping the camp and guarding the prisoners. That's close to 70 people. We can't take on that many alone. We have to have Poe send back up."

Rey agreed. As much as she wanted to run to the aid of their captured crew right now, Finn was right. They had never even attempted combating so many in a simulation. And this was real life, the stakes were much higher than a percentage score on the holo screen. They huddled close to the comm to deliberate. The plan was simple, Poe would get several teams debriefed and deployed. A large assault team would go after the tavern, causing a lot of trouble and a substantial diversion. Hopefully this would draw off some of the guards, and then a smaller team, led by Rey and Finn, would infiltrate the camp and rescue the prisoners. This sizable action would mean Poe would have to inform Leia, and it would take time to get the teams in place without alerting the bounty hunters to their presence. The strike would come in the early hours before dawn. Rey and Finn had hours to wait, so they used the time staking out the camp, finding the exact spot where the prisoners were being kept, and plotting alternate routes for safely making their way back to the Oblivion. Then they went to wait at the rendezvous. They were in a dark patch of woods just off an old forgotten trail at the base of the mountain on the side opposite the camp. After settling in, Finn excused himself to the "refresher" and moved into a more private section of woods. And not a moment too soon, because Rey felt a shift and turned to see Ben looking around her with narrowed eyes.

"Where are you?" He demanded.

"Ben! We're on a mission... I can't explain now, we'll talk tomorrow night."

Ben's eyes widened in protest, but she severed the bond before he could say anything. Finn returned shortly thereafter. 

"There's a stream a little ways down." Finn held out a canteen that she didn't know he had been carrying. "Don't worry, I ran it through the sterilizer." Rey accepted the canteen and drank, amazed that Finn had also thought to bring a sterilizer.

The moss was cool and comfortable as they sat and talked in low voices, alternating from serious contemplation to jokes about what can't be done while wearing storm-trooper armor. It didn't take long for the adrenaline to burn off and the fatigue to set in. They were asleep before they even realized how tired they were.

Rey awoke to bright beams of sun glittering through the trees. The view was so sublime that she just watched the leaves dancing in the wind for a moment before realizing how late the hour was. She sat up with a gasp. "Finn!"

Finn lay peacefully just to the side of her where he had been reclining the night before. He sat up in alarm, leaves and twigs sticking to the side of his face and hair.

"Rey! Are you ok?"

"Yes, but... its morning!"

Finn's alarm faded and he looked around as if just now noticing where they were. He scrambled for his communicator and tried to call Poe. Nothing. Rey was running through possibilities. 

"We can't have missed them. They didn't know the exact location of the camp."

Finn was shaking his head, still fiddling with the comm trying to reach Poe. 

"No, we didn't miss them. Something is wrong." 

With a frustrated huff, Finn gave up on the comm and extended a hand to Rey. "We need to see what's going on at the tavern and the camp."

Rey stood in front of him and took both his hands. They closed their eyes and concentrated first on the tavern. Nothing had changed. There were still people milling around, some behaving drunk, others feigning sleep. It seemed a shift change had taken place, because Rey caught a bit of conversation much like the one they had heard the day before, but from an entirely different set of people. Rey's blood boiled a bit; they must have been repeating some version of the same story every so often, to draw in anyone who might be listening. Satisfied that nothing had transpired while they were asleep, they moved their attention on to the camp. It too seemed unchanged. Rey concentrated on locating hostiles and weapons while Finn's mind was wholly on the welfare of their shipmates. She could feel their fear seeping through the connection. The impression was that they were more terrified than they had been the night before, but they couldn't get a clear indication of why. Finn and Rey pulled apart. 

"There's nothing we can do for the ship." Finn said decisively. "But we might be able to help those hostages."

Rey nodded but wondered how they would ever be able to take on so many adversaries with such limited experience.

"We will just have to figure out a way that doesn't involve facing down the entire camp directly."

An idea suddenly flashed through Rey's mind. She smiled. "Maybe that's exactly what we should do." 

The plan they came up with took a good part of the day. First, they staked out the tavern and determined how often the shifts were switched out and how they communicated with the base camp. Then they made their way to the top of the ridge and observed the camp. It was a risky attempt, but they knew no back up was coming and they couldn't walk away from their crew-mates. After the midday shift change, they started in.

Hand in hand they focused their power on the communications devices throughout the camp. Carefully and quietly they burned connections within each one until all were disabled. There would be no way for them to call the tavern for backup. Next they turned their attention to a shed at the back of the camp that held munitions. Very discreetly a host of thermal detonators rolled out of the shed and situated themselves inconspicuously in other areas of the camp. Now it was time to make an entrance. Rey and Finn looked gravely at each other, knowing what came next. Finn placed a hand on Rey's arm. 

"Just keep talking. Don't get drawn into a fight. Use the force to keep yourself protected. Remember the exit strategy."

They both took a moment to breathe, individually connecting to the force. Then Finn began making his way along the ridge, slowly circling around to the left side of the camp. Rey followed his movements until he got to a spot where he began to descend. If he could remain undetected, he would come down right behind the shelter where the Resistance fighters were being held. Finn slipped out of sight but Rey could feel him cautiously making his way down. She spared a slight amount of her focus for the camp guards. There was no suspicion circulating yet. Rey felt her heart hiccup as she realized it was time for her part. As Finn slipped off of the bluff, Rey fired her blaster into the dirt and leapt extravagantly to the ground. Nearly seventy pairs of eyes fixated on her as she began to speak.

"This ruse ends now! I know who you are, Bounty Hunter scum!" 

The semicircular shape of the ridge gave her voice an unexpected echo that added a dramatic tone to her words.

"You will cease the abducting and torment that you have brought to this peaceful land, and you will leave this place at once!"

The echo allowed Finn to hear Rey's rambling denunciation. He couldn't help but smile listening to her lay it on so thick. He was carefully making his way around the enclosure where the crew was being held captive. Though it looked like a tent, it was more of a cage covered by thick fabric. Finn's part of the plan involved subduing the guards, liberating the prisoners and leading them up the steep path beyond the camp and back into the woods. The hope was that Rey's theatrics and the previously planted explosives would generate enough chaos to allow them to escape. If not, the hope was that most of the captives would be able-bodied enough to fight should the need arise. As Finn neared the gateway he came upon something completely unexpected. 

Rey tried to remember to keep talking, though it was difficult as she felt the growing number of weapons being leveled at her and the derisive lack of verbal response. About two dozen had gathered in front of her and she could sense another dozen watching her from the shadows.

"Prepare to withdraw now or face the consequences!" Rey boomed.

Only now did one bounty hunter that had been observing her from the beginning react. He slowly pushed back his helmet and regarded her lazily.

"And who, exactly, are you?" He asked with a bored tone. His whole demeanor was one of a deceptively lackadaisical cat who was about to pounce on a presumptuous mouse.

Rey thought fast. "I am the Devil's Claw of Jakku. The foremost apprentice of Master Luke Skywalker. I am The Omega Jedi. And if you do not heed my warning, you will reap the most severe consequences for your despicable actions!"

"Well, we had no idea we were entertaining such a prestigious personage." He made an elaborately mocking bow. "Allow us to show you our hospitality." With that statement, roughly 40 weapons discharged toward her.

Though close to half the camp had taken the bait and were fixated on Rey, the other half were completely engaged in loading the prisoners onto a transport. Each captive was fitted with a shock collar that kept them from making any attempt to fight back. Finn was trying to think of a way to get them loose when he heard the barrage of blaster fire discharged at Rey.

Finn had outfitted Rey with a personal shield, it was the same as what they had surrounding the ship, so it could easily take blaster fire. But having so many bursts slamming into her at once was not only physically taxing it was mentally traumatizing as well. She tried to isolate shots and redirect them, but the bombardment was too overwhelming. Rey felt her confidence falter, but a gleam of assurance reached her. We can do this, We can do this, we can do this... Rey pulled herself together and felt the volley begin to cease. The bounty hunters were perplexed by her survival, but didn't take time to contemplate it. As they made ready to assault her again, Rey straightened and without a word raised her arms into the air. In an instant half the camp was annihilated by thermal detonators. 

Finn felt the concussion as the detonators tore through the far side of the camp. It had the intended affect, confusion ensued. Some adversaries were taking cover and further arming themselves, some were attempting to put out the fires, some were joining the strike against Rey. There were still those who were wholly focused on their prize, and nearly all the crew was now aboard the transport. Finn had to act fast. He remembered what he had told Rey, and decided to take his own advice. He searched through the camp for what he needed. From behind the cover of the tent, Finn fired his blaster. Two guards went down, shrieking at the grisly leg wounds he had given them. Five advanced on his position. But Finn had a variety of electro weapons that bounty hunters keep on hand and he managed to paralyze them just before they reached him. Four still worked at the transport, the crew was now locked in and the ship began to rise. Finn darted around the back of the jail and concentrated, using everything he had to focus the force on the controls of the ship. He found the lever he was looking for and yanked it down. The ship stalled and fell back to the ground, taking out three of the bounty hunters that had been supervising the loading. Finn nearly collapsed from the effort, but he could feel the attention this had drawn, more hunters were converging on him and the ship. Finn bounded from behind cover, clearing a path to the transport with a sonic rifle. Getting to the cockpit he wrenched the door and nearly dragged the shocked pilot from his seat. Before he could completely subdue him, he felt a disruptor shoved into the back of his head. Finn froze and raised his arms. The hunter behind him began pulling him back, and Finn realized the only reason he hadn't pulled the trigger was fear of damaging the ship. The second they were away, he would be disintegrated. Finn flipped to face his attacker and simultaneously shoved the disruptor into the air. With his free hand, the hunter smashed his fist into Finn's face, ribs and stomach with astounding force. Finn knew he would crumple under the assault, so he shoved at the disruptor with the force, crushing its internal mechanism. Now free to fight, Finn tapped into the hand to hand combat instructions Rey had given him and countered the blows. The hunter was still the superior fighter, and Finn found himself thrown on his back in a pile of debris. The bedraggled pilot had run his ignition sequence again, found no error, and was attempting to raise the transport again. The hunters he had stunned with the sonic rifle were beginning to stir. It was now or never. Finn flung every ounce of strength he had left into using the force to stall the ship again. From the rubbish, he picked up a broken pole and advanced to meet the hunter. It didn't matter that he was the superior fighter because just as he moved to engage, Finn tripped him with the force and landed a blow to his temple with the make shift staff that knocked him out cold. He made straight for the transport, jerked the door open and tossed the pilot from his chair. Dropping into the vacated seat, he sealed the door just as a few desperate shots fizzled into it. Finn stared at the console in front of him. He had no experience piloting. Barreling into to the back, he shouldered the divider aside and stared at the disheveled crew. They were in a sorry state, all showing signs of abuse. The worst were unconscious and some were in such shock they were completely unresponsive, though awake.

"Can anyone pilot this transport?" Finn bellowed more aggressively than he meant to. There was a sharp pain in his ribs whenever he breathed and he could feel the attention the dormant transport was beginning to draw. It wouldn't be long before the remaining bounty hunters swooped in and they were completely overrun. No one answered. Everyone stared at him with vacant eyes. Raw directionless fear filled the entire space. Finn stumbled from person to person, desperate for help. 

"We need to get this transport in the air, can anyone man the controls??"

"You can." Caulder appeared from the back, glassy eyed but somewhat more coherent than the rest. He nearly collapsed in Finn's arms when he reached him. "You can do it, Finn. Rey uses the force to understand the Oblivion's control systems. You can do it too."

Before Finn could disagree a blast from outside rocked the whole vessel. They were out of time. Finn and Caulder limped back to the cockpit. Caulder instructed Finn on what to search for, and which systems to initiate in which order. Finn struggled. The effort of trying to search the ship to understand how to fly was excruciating. He was sweating and his head felt like it was going to crack open, but he finally managed to raise the ship from the ground. 

Rey's part was simple. Distract as many bounty hunters as possible with long winded speeches and startling theatrics. Hide behind the shield if things got rough, and the moment everyone was distracted by the thermal detonators, bail out fast. She was to use whatever cover the mountain afforded, and if pursued, create an avalanche. The theory had been that the detonation would throw the whole camp into confusion and their escape would go virtually unnoticed until the fires were put out and the panic died down. Unfortunately, these bounty hunters were a tough crowd. The explosions had occupied a chunk of the population but left about ten individuals directly in front of Rey who were completely un-phased. In addition to unleashing another torrent of blaster fire against her shield, they had begun to advance on her. Rey spouted a few half hearted warnings, but words failed her as the mountain began to feel less like a protection and more like a trap. She did her best to balance herself amid the growing fear and made one last attempt. She stood tall and punched her hand into the air, completely absorbed in an attempt to shove the weapons from their hands. To her surprise, every blaster came loose and her pursuers stopped dead and raised their hands in surrender. Now in the sudden quiet she heard the engines above her. The Millennium Falcon, accompanied by a few pairs of X-Wings on either side hovered just above her, cannons trained on the hunters in front of her.


	13. The Pact

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She was sitting up in her bed, idly flipping a comm when Ben appeared. He surveyed their surroundings as if it was the first time he had ever seen her bunk.  
> "Not where I thought you would be."  
> Rey groaned, "We are NOT training tonight."  
> Ben gave her a small smile as he approached and sat directly in front of her. "Oh no, you owe me an explanation."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little more movement. Just wait for some crap to hit the fan soon. Ouchy.  
> For this chapter enjoy the following music selections :)   
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bayeu-W0aJ8 - Arms by Christina Perri  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkSPe7mvELo - Never Surrender by Skillet

Ben paced the length of his room. Rey was planet side? On a mission? What the hell?? He looked to the side of his room where usually he would see Rey's bunk, but tonight was only the harsh gray of the Finalizer. His hands shook and he felt a murky fissure opening within him, a formless anger struggling to surface. No. He forced himself to sit down and recapture control over that savage part of himself that longed to rip and destroy senselessly. He considered going to the auxiliary ship, reaching out to whatever system Rey was on and... No. She didn't want him to know yet. She would consider it a violation of trust. However indefinable their strange relationship was, there were still boundaries. He would just have to wait. There was a small comfort in knowing that his restraint was for the benefit of their connection, and that assurance let him rest, although alone for the first time in months.

Tal had been in the last security team to be abducted and had therefore been unconscious throughout the entirety of the ordeal, but that hadn't stopped him from privately fuming over it. His only consolation was that he had managed to slip away, completely unnoticed, while the body of the team searched for clues on the whereabouts of their missing comrades. He had no choice but to use very old, very slow transmission methods, but the comm would be virtually untraceable, so he wouldn't have to worry about suspicion falling back on him. _Curse those slovenly bounty hunters! Nearly botching up years of work, I could have been killed!_ , he thought to himself and shivered. He felt his resentment giving way to excitement. He had just delivered a bombshell to the First Order, and when all his labor came to fruition, he would likely find himself at the right hand of the Supreme Leader of the galaxy! All he had to do was wait. It would take a week or more for that message to reach the Finalizer, but then things would happen quickly, and his reward would make all this rotting away with rebel scum worth it.

Rey made a fast climb up the ridge and boarded the Millennium Falcon, with the bounty hunters subdued she was able to make her getaway. It was the first time she had seen Chewie since they had been quartered on the Oblivion, so Rey found herself wrapped in a tight hug she was in no hurry to extricate herself from. Getting back to the cockpit, they received a message from Poe. He had finally gotten through to Finn, who was now "piloting" the transport with the crew aboard. He needed an escort to get him back to the Oblivion safely. Rey got the ship signature and called Finn directly to guide him through flight operations. They left the camp to Poe and the X-Wing aviators and gingerly made their way back, all the while Chewie filling her in on the reason for their late and conspicuously airborne arrival. The bounty hunters knew that they wouldn't be able to draw out the entire crew, so they made an attempt on the Oblivion itself. They set off an alert while trying to disable one of the engines and the crew went on the offensive. There had been heavy fighting, but the Resistance had managed to overpower the bounty hunters. The crew received multiple injuries, but no casualties. It was believed that the bounty was contingent on them being alive, though no one was sure why or what that meant. Once the skirmish was over, the ship was immediately put into orbit and the flight squad was sent to Rey and Finn's coordinates. 

Leading Finn out of atmosphere was challenging, but their connection helped overcome his inexperience. Once they were out, Rey commed the Oblivion and had the larger ship pull the transport in with the tractor beam and send a flock of med droids to the bay. Finn dropped from the cockpit and swayed, barely keeping his balance. He looked terrible, his cheek and jaw were badly bruised, and the vessels in his right eye had ruptured, turning the white to a cloudy red. Blood dripped from his nose and Rey could feel a numbing exhaustion engulfing him. She ran to him, gently putting his arm around her shoulder and supporting him as he walked. She wanted to take him directly to the med bay. But she could feel his focus drawing them elsewhere. Leaning heavily on her, they rounded the back of the ship and Finn hit the controls to open the cargo bay. He released Rey and offered shaky hands to the broken crew. Slowly they began making their way out and being attended by the med droids. Presently, more of the on board crew arrived and assisted with carrying out the unconscious. Once everyone had been cleared out, Finn succumbed to the strain and passed out. Rey caught him just before he hit the floor and called for a gurney.

Rey stayed with Finn until the med droids confirmed that he was on the mend. Contusions, a cracked rib and a hairline fracture in his jaw. Dehydration was also a factor. He would be fine by tomorrow, mostly what he needed was rest. Rey was sure he would be ok, but she also knew from experience he was going to be suffering the aftermath of overextending himself with the force. Rey too was feeling the fatigue pulling her toward insensibility. They had only had a few hours rest in the woods and she couldn't remember the last time she ate. She passed by everything else, though, and went straight for the refresher, washing away days of grime and sweat and getting into clean clothes. She couldn't summon the will power to search for food, she just wanted to sleep. As soon as she shut the door and turned around, Ben was there.

Without a word she fell into his arms, wondering if she had called him here. He held her tightly, supporting all of her weight and stroking her still damp hair. Though still tense, she could feel a spill of joy and curiosity as he held her. Was he shaking? Or was that her own failing strength? The embrace ended too quickly and he led her to her bunk, where she flipped onto her back, eyes already closing. Ben sat next to her, questions filling up his mind. He continued petting her hair for a few moments, feeling the tension ease out of her from his comforting movements. He almost hated how much peace and stillness he felt with her. As much as he would have liked to lay next to her and keep her safe and warm all night he stood up to leave. All he said was, "Goodnight, Rey." And she was out. 

It was probably close to midday ship time when Rey awoke. She felt stiff and her muscles screamed as she moved to get up. She knew it was unreasonable, but she felt irritated that Ben wasn't there to console her. Grumbling, she decided another hot shower sounded good. She felt she deserved it. She let the heat soothe her aching body and carefully untangled her messy hair. This woke her up, though she still felt heavy and her eyes had dark circles under them. She didn't know if the mess hall would be open, but her stomach was insisting that she find some food. To her surprise, there was not only food being served but a small gathering of people there as well. She joined the serving line and a moment later Caulder appeared at her side. He seemed tired but otherwise unharmed and Rey couldn't have been more relieved. His eyes were brimming with care and gratitude.

"Rey, I..." He pulled her into an uncustomary hug, his usual timidity forgotten. "Thank you...for what you did. You saved us."

Rey returned the embrace and they stood there holding up the line for several seconds. Then Caulder's shyness returned and he let go, embarrassment coloring his face. He scratched his head awkwardly.

"Yeah, well...you must be starving!" He gestured toward the line and then turned to leave. 

"Caulder? See you in Command?"

"Oh, yeah, uh, secondary crew is covering right now, we have a few days off, but hey, come down to the lounge tonight where we're having a small gathering.”

Rey nodded and smiled uncertainly. She had no idea the ship had a lounge. But all other concerns fled as she sat down to eat. She was nearly finished when Rose came bounding up, two plates in hand.

"Rey! How are you? I'm glad you're ok! I can't believe it, you and Finn sneaking off the ship to save the crew! You have to tell me all about it."

Rey was a bit startled, Rose was usually more reserved. Rose had begun hurriedly eating her food. Rey gestured toward the other plate. 

"Is someone else coming?"

"Oh! No, I'm taking that to Finn, he just woke up a little while ago, are you done? Come with me!"

Rose abandoned her half eaten meal, grabbed Finn's plate and practically dragged Rey to the med bay. 

Finn was sitting up looking considerably better, though his eye was still red, and Rey could feel his weariness. Upon their entrance, Finn smiled and laced his hands behind his head, reclining like he was dozing in the afternoon sun. The gesture took more effort than Finn was letting on, but Rey was thrilled to see him acting like his old self. She gave him a delicate hug.

"How do you feel?"

"Better than when I got my spine ripped open, a little worse than... any other time." He said casually. 

"I brought you something to eat, the mess hall is being kept open while the hostages recover." Rose piped up.

Finn accepted the offering gratefully his overconfident air slipping.

"Thanks, Rose, this is fantastic."

Finn didn't waste any time getting started. Rose was overly excited and started peppering him with questions.

"How did you find the crew without getting caught? Did you know the tavern was a trap or did you find the camp first? How did you sneak off the ship? Why didn't anyone in town recognize you?"

Finn's eyes glazed over as she rattled off inquiry after inquiry. Rey broke in before he could become completely overwhelmed.

"Caulder and I are going to the lounge tonight, let's all meet up there, and we can get the whole story."

Finn nodded gratefully and Rose blushed and calmed a bit. They made their exit and before they got too far down the hall, Rey could feel Finn drifting back to sleep.

Rose was still wound up and she suggested nine or ten things she and Rey could do. But Rey was still fairly exhausted herself and felt like she needed some time alone. "I'm sorry, Rose, could we meet up another time? I have some things I need to do."

"Oh, yeah, sure. I should probably check on the ship..." Rose looked disappointed, but quickly brightened. "But I'll see you tonight? At the lounge?"

Rey smiled, "Definitely."

Alone again, Rey made her way to the training arena. She was just spinning her staff around in a habitual repetitive way, trying to sort out the recent events. The attack on Carida bothered her. It was well coordinated, and there were many involved. They had believed they could take the whole ship, and they wanted everyone alive. Only one possibility made sense. The First Order had hired bounty hunters to pursue the Resistance. The thought disgusted her, the sparring dummy in the center of the ring took a few hits that would have been considered very impolite on a living opponent. But she didn't have the energy to work up any real fury, and it wasn't long before she exited the arena and made a beeline for her room. She slept until dinner, snarfed down her rations and then sought out Finn. She located him in his room. He had been released from the med bay earlier and had gone straight to his bunk to sleep just as she had. When he opened his door, she met him with a grave expression.

"Finn, I need your help."

Finn's surprise turned to concern. He nodded. "Of course."

Then Rey smiled and said, "I have no idea where the lounge is!"

Finn laughed. "What would you do without me?" 

They took off together snickering down the hall and Finn tried to familiarize her with the ship, explaining it in a bit more detail than the initial tour, attempting to build on what she already knew. They made it to the lounge in good spirits. Poe and Caulder were already there and Rose arrived just after them. The three of them claimed some comfortable benches in the corner and Poe and Caulder brought over a glass misty liquid for each of them.

"First round's on us." Poe announced, settling in. "Get comfortable, because these kids are dying to hear your story." 

Everyone took a sip of their beverages. It was the first time Rey had ever had alcohol, and she nearly spit it back into the cup. She managed to choke it down and hide her revulsion from everyone, except Finn, of course. He sensed her reaction and had to fake a sneeze to cover up his laugh. A server droid passed out glasses of water and Rey gulped at hers, trying to wash the taste out of her mouth. 

Finn began regaling everyone with the tale, briefly stating that Rey overheard some discussion in Command about missing crew members and raising the ship right after lockdown had been announced, and since she knew Caulder was on shore leave she had come to him to ask for help. At this Caulder's expression turned dreamy and he gazed at Rey with adoring eyes. Finn continued, giving the impression that they had been guessing about certain things more than they had. But she knew he was right to dole out information judiciously, everyone knew they were force users, but most people didn't understand the extent of what they could do. It would surely make at least some of the crew uncomfortable to know that Finn could read their emotions and she could peek into their thoughts. Finn was sharing how he had drawn Poe into their plan and the assistance he had provided. When he talked about the reconnaissance they did in town, he started turning to Rey to add details or remind him of the order things happened. Pretty soon they were speaking in tandem, one relating a few sentences, and the other finishing it up. Rose, Caulder, and Poe were a few drinks ahead of them, and their slightly glazed eyes skipped back and forth between Rey and Finn as they harmonized. Only when they came to the point where they separated on independent missions did Rey quiet and listen intently, hearing the specifics of what he went through for the first time. Now that everyone was safe and sound, it was amusing listening to Finn describe the escapade. He had a way of depicting things both humbly and nobly, humorously and soberly. A crowd of others visiting the lounge had congregated around to hear the whole of the story, and everyone was drawn in by Finn's narration. His description of her speeches brought big laughs. 

"I didn't know she had it in her, when they asked who she was, she gave herself titles!"

Even Rey had to chuckle at this description, and found herself holding her breath as Finn told of his fight with the remaining bounty hunter. Though Caulder was well aware of what he had done to fly the transport, Finn again glossed over that aspect of force use, instead focusing on how poorly he had done on his first attempt at piloting and how Rey had guided him from the Millennium Falcon. The account was a hit with the audience and everyone was cheering and drinking to the heroes. Poe was tottering towards the bar when someone called to him.

"Hey, what did you guys do with all those bounty hunters?" 

Poe, looking tipsy, replied tactlessly. "BOOM!" He held his hands up in the air imitating an explosion. "Once we got confirmation from Finn that the crew was away, we opened fire. One team razed the tavern, while we took out the camp."

The crowd raised glasses, satisfied that their tormentors were permanently put out of commission. But Rey felt Finn turn ice cold. He was out of his seat and in front of Poe in a flash.

"You...you killed them?" Finn's words were so filled with ferocity, they were nearly a scream.

Poe squinted confusedly at him. "Yeah, we fired on a collection of mercenaries who abducted and tortured our crew, Finn."

"You knew the hostages were safe. The camp surrendered once the star fighters surrounded them, you didn't have to wipe them out!"

Poe's anger was starting to match Finn's. "That camp knew that the Resistance had a Star Destroyer ! How long do you think we would have lasted once the First Order was informed? Like it or not, we are soldiers, and sometimes that means using lethal force against the enemy. If you can't handle that, then maybe you don't belong here."

The crowd that had gone completely silent at the beginning of the confrontation seemed to gasp collectively.

Finn's voice lowered just a bit. "Maybe you're right. I joined the Resistance because I thought that you wanted what was best for the galaxy, instead you destroy people just because they might pose a threat to you in the future. That's exactly what the First Order does!"

Finn turned and stormed out of the lounge before Poe could say anything more. Though still in complete shock, Rey sped after him. He was already far down the hall and she practically had to run to catch up. Before she could reach him, he stopped suddenly. Startled, Rey did too. 

He didn't turn when he spoke. "Rey, please...Just leave me alone." Finn's tone was harsh, but his voice shook and Rey could feel more than just anger, there was a kind of sorrow coloring Finn as well. Rey stayed back, speaking softly.

"I just wanted you to know, I think you are right. I'm on your side..."

Finn turned slightly and she could see tears in his eyes. He sighed. "I know, I just need some time to cool off... let's meet up tomorrow in the training arena."

Rey agreed, and after a moment Finn marched off. With no where else to go, Rey went back to her room. She was sitting up in her bed, idly flipping a comm when Ben appeared. He surveyed their surroundings as if it was the first time he had ever seen her bunk.

"Not where I thought you would be."

Rey groaned, "We are NOT training tonight."

Ben gave her a small smile as he approached and sat directly in front of her. "Oh no, you owe me an explanation."

Rey's account of their time on Carida wasn't nearly as charming as Finn's, but it was a bit more honest. With Ben she could explain how they got the information that led them to the tavern and how Finn had known it was a trap. She even told him about her obnoxious distraction while Finn commandeered the transport. Ben listened raptly, without interruption, moving only to rest his forearm against her knees. At the end of the tale, Ben's face was solemn. He drew in a long breath, nodded his head and finally said, "...The Devil's Claw of Jakku?"

Rey covered her face in embarrassment as Ben chuckled. 

"I had to say something!" 

He reached up and pulled her hand away from her eyes. "It was brilliant."

Rey still suspected he was teasing her, so she retorted, "As brilliant as you sending a pack of ravenous bounty hunters after us?" 

She tried to say it casually, but the pain this ordeal had caused was still too fresh and the hurt was evident in the comment. He let go of her hand and turned his attention to the floor. 

"Hiring the bounty hunters allowed me to pull the First Order ships away from pursuing the Resistance and gave me time to establish myself as Supreme Leader. The bounty was contingent on the rebels being delivered alive. You know that is not a requirement I could give to the First Order. I'm not asking you to thank me for what you just had to go through, but I would hope that you trusted me enough by now to know that I would never deal indifferently with your life." 

Rey sat quietly for a moment, considering. She could sense Ben's feelings on the matter, there was no regret over the choice to hire the hunters, what stood out most was disappointment at their failure. He had given the appearance of pursuing the rebels to their demise, but what he had been hoping for was a reunification. As uncomfortable a method as it may have been, how could she be angry that he wanted to bring them together, especially when it was what she wanted too?

Rey took his hand. "I do trust you."

Ben relaxed just a little. "I know."

Ben pulled her close and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Rey leaned against him, her arms tightly encompassing his chest. They stayed like that for a long time, his chin resting on her head, not speaking just listening to each other breathe. It was so soothing after all the anxiety of the last few days, Rey couldn't keep from being lulled to sleep. She was nearly unconscious when she felt Ben's grip loosen and he laid her back on her bunk and draped the blanket over her. She felt a swell of longing. Was it from Ben? Or herself? Maybe both... _don't go._

Ben was feeling pressured. His efforts were coming together cohesively, but he was worried that things were happening faster than anticipated. He had not thought that so many ruthless mercenaries would be able to band together and make such an effective trap. As much as he wanted Rey by his side, he needed to make sure more of his changes were implemented before they could safely be together. He was beginning to think that it was for the best that Rey and that bumbling traitor of a stormtrooper had pulled off their bizarre charade. Trying to preserve several thousand Rebels alive at this juncture would have been nearly impossible, even for the Supreme Leader. Still, they might not be so fortunate next time, and he would need to have more of his system operating in place to provide them with protection. Some of his concern was alleviated when he was presented with a request to attend another weapons demonstration of the Enforcer Moon around Silbatta. Hux was dripping with conceit as he finalized the schedule. Ben didn't need the force to realize that this was going to be an exceedingly effective demonstration. It was very likely that every demand he had made would now be satisfied, and it would only be a matter of weeks before the major systems had them installed and functional. Having the moons in place would be a boon to his strategy, so long as he could keep them from being abused. He would need to escalate training. It was unlikely that he would be able to work with any of the students personally. And perhaps it would not be necessary. The Knights of Ren, a formidable unit of elite force users with no prior experience instructing, had proven themselves to be skilled teachers. He would discuss available options with them tonight. 

The weapons demonstration was just as he suspected. The Enforcer Moon had been honed to astonishing precision. It was now capable of targeting and destroying a single tree in a forest. A building could be consumed without damaging the landscaping around it. And of course, the scope could still be broadened to split mountains. But now it could be adjusted to any specification in between. It was time to schedule the installation of the other satellites. Hux was sizzling with frenetic energy and Ben wondered if giving him approval to proceed with further installations might actually make him self combust. Hux survived the go ahead, and preparations commenced immediately. 

Hux bustled out of the conference room and sped down the corridor, looking for a place as far away from Kylo Ren as possible. He had been very careful lately, keeping his thoughts and emotions uncommonly quiet whenever he was in Ren's presence. He focused, and only allowed the appropriate enthusiasm for his work on the moons to be decipherable. Today, however, with the most successful weapons demonstration to date and the request to move forward with the project, he was worried he might make a mistake. That an errant thought could slip from his mind and betray him. He mustn't ruin the weeks of work he had put in by inadvertently informing Kylo Ren that four other moons were already in orbit and functioning around Core worlds. That he had personally orchestrated their installation in direct opposition to the Supreme Leader's wishes. Or that the crews of each were loyal only to Armitage Hux.

* * * * * * 

Rey spent the next day exploring. She was still off duty and hadn't slept in nearly as late, so she took the time to get to know the ship more intimately. The Oblivion was really a small city. When Finn had taken her on the tour, he had concentrated on the levels that they personally used with relation to their bunks and assignments. Rey discovered that there were actually dozens of duplicated rooms, more mess halls, Med bays, lounges, even the training arena was not unique. It took most of the day, pacing the halls and stretching out with the force to understand how it all worked together. She was just stopping by her bunk before dinner when she got a comm asking her to come to Leia's conference room. 

Besides a guard outside the door, Leia was alone and concentrating hard on her holo screen. Rey entered quietly and hung back, not wanting to be disruptive. But Leia abandoned the screen and turned her full attention to Rey.

"Thank you for coming. Please have a seat."

Rey did as she was instructed, wondering why she had been summoned. 

"I apologize for the delay in seeing you, but the events on Carida altered our circumstances significantly. And I didn't think it would hurt for you and Finn to have some time to recover before facing the consequences of your actions."

Rey's eyes widened in alarm. 

"Consequences?"

Leia held up a hand, "Don't get me wrong, I'm infinitely grateful for what you did for this crew. But you abandoned ship without authorization during a lockdown. We may not be First Order, but this is still a military vessel with a chain of command and penalties for dereliction of duty."

Rey stiffened at the comparison, remembering Finn's accusation. 

"Fortunately for you, the crew is regarding you as heroes and Finn's account of the rescue has already become the stuff of legends. If I were to be too severe, I would no doubt have a mutiny on my hands. Therefore your regular assignment will be replaced by one month of cleaning duty, and you will be restricted to your bunk during off duty hours."

Rey jumped from her seat. "What about training? Can we have access to the arena? "

Leia sighed. "Normally I would say no, but I believe we are going to need you to be as proficient with the force as possible very soon. You and Finn may continue training. But the next time you get some insane plan to put your life in danger- or the lives of any others for that matter- at least give me the opportunity to hear it and say no before you commit treason."

Rey gave an embarrassed smile and nodded. "What time do I report to Janitorial?"

Leia smiled mischievously and patted Rey's arm. "Oh, my dear, you aren't going to be doing janitorial... you're going to be doing the cleaning usually reserved for droids."

* * * * * *

The Supreme Leader spent some time observing the students and after some deliberation, the decision was made to forego further training. Ben was hesitant at first, but he trusted his Knights. Instead of the students receiving extra instruction from Ben or continuing in the rotational schedule with the Knights, it was determined that the best course of action would be to put the most distinguished in charge of groups of their peers, then give them assignments. Experience would be the best teacher, and running missions off ship would better prepare them for their new roles. Nine captains were quickly chosen; the Knights already knew which students were best suited for leadership. Tomorrow they would announce captains and allow them to choose their own teams.

Rey paced the training circle, flipping her staff halfheartedly. She had so much on her mind, she wasn't sure what she and Finn could work on tonight. She hadn't seen him since the night before. It was just Rose and her at dinner. She hoped that he was ok. As far as she knew, the fight between Finn and Poe was still unresolved, and she was sure Finn wouldn't be the same until it was. Finally Finn arrived, despondent with hurt still riding in his eyes. Rey dropped her staff and pulled him into a tight hug. Through their connection she could feel his agitation, the fight and its cause still raw and stinging like an untreated wound. 

"I'm so sorry..."

Finn hugged her tighter, his breath shaky.

"I know, I'm trying to let it go, but... I was a stormtrooper... it could have just as easily been me." 

And now Rey understood, more than just anger at an injustice, Finn was hurt by the idea that Poe could still be so judgmental and callous as to think that a First Order operative was un-redeemable and deserving of death. How could Finn not feel betrayed? He had saved Poe's life, it wasn't unreasonable that he expected his best friend to show a similar semblance of mercy.

Finn got control of his breath and his tight hold fell slack. "So, what kind of Jedi exercise will prepare us for cleaning duty?"

Rey groaned. "You too?"

Finn nodded. "We are going to be stuck together full time for a month!"

Rey faked horror, just as a contrite voice said, "I can think of worse things."

Rey and Finn turned to see Poe walking up, looking uncertain. Possibly worried they would throw him out or throw a punch.

Finn looked suspicious, but didn't say anything. Poe glanced back and forth between the two of them, then settled his gaze on Finn."I wanted to say I'm sorry." 

Finn scoffed and shook his head, looking away.

Poe tried again, "I know, Finn, I'm sorry! I was half drunk and showboating for the crowd, I can see how that came across as insensitive, and I'm trying to apologize for my behavior last night."

Now Finn stared at him, "It's not about last night! You blasted away those bounty hunters like they were nothing! After they had surrendered! You wouldn't be here if it wasn't for a stormtrooper who made a different choice, doesn't everyone deserve that opportunity?"

Poe pulled a hand through his hair, distraught. "You're right. For so long it was just The Resistance against the First Order, kill or be killed, but now... everything's changing, the lines are being blurred and I can't tell right from wrong just based on affiliation. I... I just don't know what to do anymore!" Poe collapsed onto a bench, reeling from his own revelation. 

Rey spoke in the confused silence that followed. "Everything is changing, so we need to change too. It's not about sides anymore, it's about doing what's right for the galaxy, regardless of what form that takes."

Poe listened and seemed to latch onto her words.  He stood and came over to them.  "Ok, then that's it.  We make a pact here and now.  We don't just follow orders or routine, we make the best choice for the galaxy, every time, no matter what or who that involves."

Hands in, like children playing a game, they each swore to this standard.  Ben had appeared moments before, but he kept his presence secluded, as Rey had not yet sensed his arrival. Listening to the pledge, he allowed himself the hope that this thinking would permeate the galaxy, but a darkness curled into his stomach, murmuring that it would not come so easy, and certainly not without bloodshed.


	14. United

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tonight, his agitation was palpable. His hands shook and he paced back and forth. Each instruction came out as a demand. The strain heightened Rey's own anxiety and darkened her mood. The distress came to a head while Rey was trying to complete a complex exercise. Part way through she lost her balance and fell panting to the floor.  
> "GET UP!” Ben roared in an uncharacteristically raised voice. He took a hard step toward her.  
> Rey put out her hand. "STOP!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for any and all that have followed this clean, albeit INTERESTING take on the next part of the saga. ;) Appreciate it. We are die hard Reylos, and just don't feel everything has to be smutty to be a true love story. Hope you still feel the same.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZxo9mrWgR8 - Clarity by Zedd  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCDxY1AO9OE - Broken by Lovely.the.band  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m326LNIRB3k - Pompeii

Ben's days were a blur of activity. He had frequent meetings with his generals focused on the distribution of Enforcer Moons. Since Hux had been effectively running this operation, Ben delegated planetside negotiations to him. It appeared that giving Hux this assignment had been a wise choice; all his energy had been put into the task. His usual belligerence had been kept in check. This was invaluable, as it was not a good time to have to deal with insolence in his high ranking officials. His afternoons were a mixture of holo conferences with First Order ruled planets, and finalizing mission details with the Knights. He had to coordinate with various regional officers on each system in order legitimize the operations. It took more time than necessary, most officials were surprised that the Supreme Leader was making a civil request rather than contacting them with threats and criticism. It took several days, but eventually all nine groups had a commission. 

Finally, Ben made a speech to the students. The Knights would accompany them planetside, but only as observers, the missions would be handled entirely by the students. A few teams had to share an instructor, but preparations had been made for separate tasks to be carried out on the same system in those instances. Once the formal address had ended, objectives were distributed to team leaders and students were dismissed to prepare for departure. They would be leaving in two days. Ben felt drained, but he gathered what was left of his strength and went to the auxiliary ship to train with Rey. And so it was when an exceedingly important bit of intel lethargically deposited itself in front of the Supreme Leader's comm supervisor, he was nowhere to be found. The staff member was near hysterics when he stumbled across General Hux. 

Rey's days were an entirely new experience in disgusting. She ended each one grateful that the majority of these tasks were done by droids and cursing the fact that she had to do them for a month. She and Finn had been doing their best to train in the evenings, but spending all day scrubbing unholy filth left them much less enthusiastic than usual. Rey especially had trouble feeling motivated. Ben had intensified her private training, pushing her to the point of complete exhaustion before ending the session. The training was immensely beneficial, she could feel herself becoming more effective, proficient, and strong. But the sessions had taken on a note of urgency, and Ben, for all his expositing on the lessons, had neglected to explain why. It made Rey nervous, and their nights together had lapsed back into near silence.

Finn was doing well with what exercises they did manage to hack out at the end of the day. Moving objects with the force had become second nature to him and he was a natural at diversion and entrapment tactics. They had both improved at communicating with one another through the force, though it was never as clear and instinctive as it was with Ben. Together they could surmount any obstacle the holo program could invent, and they could even do a decent round or two of sparring against each other. Rey had been attempting to increase Finn's ability with mechanics. Using the force to pilot the transport had nearly broken him. It was slow going, but it was less taxing than the drills Ben had been putting _her_ through.

One night Finn came to the training arena accompanied by Rose. Rey had noticed that she had been sticking close to Finn ever since they got back from Carida, and it was obvious that she wanted to stay tonight. But once they were inside, Finn made a polite dismissal, Rose's cheeks turned pink and she said goodbye and made for the door. They stood in silence watching the door until she was safely down the hall, then Rey turned to Finn, a sly grin spreading across her face.

"I think she has a crush on you."

Finn smiled back, looking smug."Well she did kiss me and tell me that she loves me, but she was also near death, so that might have been an exaggeration."

Rey snickered and looked at Finn appraisingly.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Are you going to ask her out to a drink, or..." Rey gestured uncertainly. "Take her to an observation room to look at the stars..?" She trailed off, unsure of what couples did for dates on a Star Destroyer, or even planetside, for that matter.

Finn laughed, "No, I'm going to be a very good looking friend to her and stick to my day job."

Rey lifted an eyebrow. "Really? Why?" 

Finn turned more serious. "My whole life has changed so much in just a short time...First Order, the Resistance...even a little rebelling against the Resistance... and now I'm learning to use the Force? I can't think about adding romance to my life when I don't even understand my life." Finn sighed then added, "Not to mention all these experiences make it hard to trust someone."

"You don't have any trouble trusting me."

"That's different, you're family."

The word fell heavily between them. There was no denying that Finn's interest in Rey had begun as something more physical, but since then working together, training together, eating together, their relationship had progressed into something else. They were bound together, but in a fraternal way, and his off handed response had put into words what they both felt but hadn't addressed, till now.

The quiet that ensued from the comment produced a mild panic in Finn. "Sorry, Rey, I didn't mean..."

"No, you're right." Rey said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "We are family."

* * * * * *

When she wasn't in the interminable classes with the Knights, Mala spent her time listening to and observing her classmates. She had identified and classified each. She knew which ones were in full support of the First Order, which ones were in it for the job and the prestige, and which ones were nurturing quiet contemplations like her own. She had secured the position of team leader and chosen the like minded. And now, with the upcoming visit planetside, they would be free to pursue their own agenda.

Lately, Hux was keeping late hours. He devoted his days to managing the hidden Enforcer Moons and preparing for the installation of the legitimate ones. But his nights were spent spreading his influence and establishing his treason. He didn't see it as treason, of course. He was a patriot, a true believer in the sovereignty of the First Order. And Kylo Ren had quickly proven to be an inadequate ruler. He had power with the force, but instead of exercising it to inflict his will on the galaxy, he was cajoling senators and pandering to independent systems. It was sickening. With the Resistance so diminished and the success of the Enforcer Moons, they should have had nearly every system already under their thumb. And that is exactly how it would be under his rule. But there was much work to do before Ren could be overthrown, and Hux refused to underestimate his opponent. These thoughts swam through his head as one of Ren's secretaries came around the corner in a near panic. He spotted Hux and rushed to him. Hux had no interest in dealing with Ren's peons, but when he read the comm that had whipped the man into a frenzy, he became much more accommodating. Hux told him how pleased he was with his work, commended him for his service to the First Order, and rewarded him with two days off from his usual duties. Hux himself would deliver the message to the Supreme Leader, but not in so many words. Because this would be the tool he would use not only to destroy Ren, but to elevate himself to his position.

Tal had bitten his fingernails down to the quick. His usually nonchalant walk had stiffened and he felt restless all the time. The first few days after sending his report he had felt like a weight had been lifted, and he had been more jubilant than ever. But after the better part of a week came and went, he started to get fidgety. He knew the message would take time to be received, but now he was overwrought with anticipation and starting to wonder if the First Order would ever arrive. What if the signal hadn't been strong enough? What if the report had been corrupted? How would he ever be able to get another communication out to them? He would go insane if the Oblivion continued to operate as before, hidden in plain sight. All his worries were cast off when he got to his bunk that night and there was a transmission waiting for him. At first he was terrified that such an obvious communication would expose him. But he found it was a coded message, by all appearances an innocuous letter from a relative. Tal had to reach far back into his training to decipher it, and it took him most of the night to translate the message in its entirety. General Hux had received his report and wanted to act on it as soon as possible. Yet, this was to be a covert mission rather than a firefight. The basic plan was outlined, and they were asking for specific recommendations from their inside operative. Tal smiled to himself. He may not be very good at coded messages, but he was a hell of a strategist.

At last the students were on their way, they were secured in a transport and they were all being ferried to their respective worlds. In addition to her team, there was one other group that shared Mala's sentiments. She had met with their leader the night before and they had laid out a course of action that would allow them to pursue their shared objective. If everything went according to plan, they would begin the operation before they even reached their intended system. Her team had been instructed on keeping their thoughts and emotions hushed until they were distanced from the Finalizer and had already enacted phase one.

* * * * * *

Ben's emotions were vacillating between excitement and apprehension. Enforcer moons were presently being set in orbit around First Order systems, and sending the students on missions was a sort of graduation, concluding their initial training and readying them for deployment. It was moving to think that soon he would have a league of force sensitive peace keepers protecting the core worlds and colonies, supported by technological masterpieces. Once his new arrangement for ruling the already loyal planets was established, it would be a simple matter to align the outer regions. He had carefully considered each aspect of the plan multiple times, but no matter how many times he reviewed it, he couldn't shake the feeling that strife lay ahead, escalating into warfare. He could only hope the students were ready. One, however, was certainly not.

The night before, Ben had been noticeably tense during training. Even with Rey across from him, he had tossed and turned throughout the night. Part of the problem was his overwhelming urge to reach out and hold her again, feeling as though a warm embrace could have been the only thing to calm him and take this anxiety away. He knew she would have welcomed it too, like when she fell asleep in his arms. Such a small taste of a thing, warmth, comfort, peace. Things he hadn't felt much of in the last 10 years.

Tonight, his agitation was palpable. His hands shook and he paced back and forth. Each instruction came out as a demand. The strain heightened Rey's own anxiety and darkened her mood. The distress came to a head while Rey was trying to complete a complex exercise. Part way through she lost her balance and fell panting to the floor.

"GET UP!” Ben roared in an uncharacteristically raised voice. He took a hard step toward her.

Rey put out her hand. "STOP!" 

She said it so forcefully her voice echoed around the arena. Ben stood frozen. She knew he could release her grip, but he let her hold him in place as she steadied her breathing and rose to her feet. 

"I want to know what's going on. You... you've barely spoken to me in a week and something is obviously troubling you. I want to know what."

He just stared off behind her. She knew this was a time she may have to be patient. 

“Ben... “ her voice more quiet and imploring. “Please. Talk to me..”

He closed his eyes and took a shaky breath then, meeting her gaze again, he looked defeated. Feeling the wall between them drop, Rey let her hand fall to her side, and didn't attempt to stop him as he approached her. He left little space between them, and Rey had to concentrate on what he was saying.

"This morning the students were sent out on their missions. When they return they will be sent to their assignments. The Enforcer Moons are correcting their orbits and are aligning with their systems as we speak. Preparations for the altered system of First Order rule are nearly complete. It will be less than a week before changes are being implemented."

Rey stared, confused by the sorrow in his eyes. "But...that sounds fantastic. Why..."

"Because I can feel the conflict it will bring! I still believe I can complete this transition, that the galaxy will be unified in the end, but it will come through pain and bloodshed."

Rey understood now. She knew Ben's hope had been to integrate his new policies and standards slowly enough that there would be little resistance, and that the benefits would draw the opposition into acceptance. But now the force was giving him a fore gleam of what was to come, and he was feeling the weight of his actions.

"You aren't ready."

"What?" Rey's focus snapped back to Ben, he was staring at her with excruciating intensity.

"We are running out of time, and as powerful as you are with the force, you have yet to receive enough training to withstand the battles to come."

Rey could feel the fear that came from Ben at this thought. It was at the center of all his turmoil. He couldn't bear the idea that his efforts to bring peace could ultimately tear her away from him. He wanted to say it, to tell her he was worried for her safety. That he didn't want to be working out the depths of change and fighting those who would resist while trying to protect her. She wanted to show him she's capable of taking care of herself. That he needn't worry so, but the thought that he was tugged at her heart. She knew he cared for her but wanted to hear it. There was something else, an unsure hope flickering through his mind that she couldn't quite get hold of, he had something up his sleeves. 

"What is it? What are you thinking?"

Ben considered, blinking thoughtfully and Rey felt momentarily hypnotized by the far off look in his eyes. But she waited.

"You are already in my thoughts through this bond we have. I could open a stronger connection between us. I would be able to transfer my knowledge and methods of using the force to you in this way."

Rey regarded him with rapt attention. She thought back to the first time she was digging around in that head, in the interrogation room. At that time she was able to extricate simple things like Jedi mind tricks and skills with the ligthtsaber. That quickly. This could work. … "Do it." She said. 

Ben tore his gaze away from her for a moment. Stepping away he said "It's not without danger as well. Some techniques you would know how to use, but the exertion would be too much for you. Some would summon power you would be unable to contain or even direct. You aren't able to decipher the difference yet, or channel the energy correctly until you have more practice.” A few heartbeats passed, “You'll need to be very careful. I worry you may hurt yourself... or others.”

Rey frowned, "Would having that knowledge be more dangerous than going into this unprepared?"

Ben's eyes locked onto hers again. "You will likely receive more than just force training." There was so much agony in that expression that Rey almost turned away. She could only imagine what that might mean.

There was a somber moment between them, then Rey's resolve hardened. "We wouldn't be discussing this if there were another way.”

Ben nodded and put one hand up, palm out, the way Rey had when she commanded him to stop. She placed her palm against his. Jolts of electricity tingled between them. Now he reached for her cheek, gingerly cupping her face in his broad hand. For a moment, her closed eyes and deep breaths had nothing to do with accessing the force, but only taking in the sense of his touch. He began pouring out details of design and tactics that they had never broached during normal training sessions. For a time she drank in the lessons and knowledge he was transferring to her. But then she twitched, mentally backpedaling, her eyes opening.

"Ben, some of those methods, they're dark side training. I can't..."

"You have to, Rey, it can't be one or the other. There must be a combination of both, the balance, or the galaxy will never be at peace...we will never be at peace." 

Rey still hesitated, her forehead furrowed debating on how to proceed. 

He continued, “My training has shown me there is no light or dark- there is only the force. You must do what is best for the galaxy, regardless of what it involves..."

She leaned into him again. He knew exactly what to say to move her. Now he showed her a gradient, one side black, one side white, and a thick band between the two that faded into gray. That was what they were driving for. Not to tip the scales to one side or the other, but to exist in the median. 

The vision grew fuzzy, and Rey found herself thinking about her hand in his. Memories of the first time they touched, the power of that vision that she was given, so confusing yet so right. And now only months later trying to understand or even stifle the growing warmth she feels for this man holding her. When had their fingers become intertwined? His other hand had slowly traveled. His thumb still on her cheek slowly caressing and his large hand perfectly fitted around her ear to her neck. She could feel the weight of a growing intensity between them. He wasn't here, it was a connection in the force, but his touch felt so real. She found herself wondering what it would be like to kiss through the bond and she didn't try to hide the thought. If Ben was as connected to her as she believed he was, then he knew exactly what she was thinking and he hadn't made an effort to pull away.

Ben could sense her distracting thoughts and the moment was so full. Rey never thought she could ever feel this way about someone. Sure, the day dreams when she was younger were filled with trying to find a “normal” relationship. But she had only ever read stories. . and seen holo's of fairy tales. She could feel how hard it was for Ben to open up so completely. Felt him relate to her that he's never done this before, but she made it easy for him. To give up the control he always fought for, and even the bitter emptiness he wallowed in. He was just here, in the moment, focused on the shared vision they had come to hope for. They were so drawn into each other, that they didn't notice that someone else had entered the room.

"BEN??"

That one word was so saturated with hope and sorrow that it tore their absorption apart and they both turned, aghast, to see Leia staring at them, her normal composure twisted into heart breaking confusion. Rey thought the word “Go!” even as Ben disappeared. Leia's eyes welled with tears as she stood frozen, and Rey searched for something to say, anything. But she was speechless. How could she possibly adequately explain what Leia had just seen? Before she could gather her thoughts, Leia abruptly came to life and fled the room. Rey was at a complete loss as to what to do with herself. Finally she left the training arena, went to her room and waited.

She knew this moment would come, when she would have to explain- well, everything. She had just hoped it would be when the time was right. When certain things were set in motion so they could both have Leia's support and understanding. Rey tried rehearsing, “uh, so. You see... everything is going to be alright. You just have to understand. .. understand? What?!” She said to the wall. “How is _anyone_ supposed to understand this I don't even understand it!” It's not something she can even explain. Within a shorter time than she expected there was a knock on her door, there was a guard waiting to escort her to Leia's conference room. On the silent walk that seemed to drag on forever she wondered what Ben was doing. All she knows about his relationship with his mother was his jumbled feelings of appreciation and abandonment. That the last time he really saw her was when she visited a year or so before the incident at Luke's training facility. The last feeling she got from him before he disappeared was an uneasy sort of dread. Like a youngling about to be disciplined. Those types of things were foreign to Rey though. 

Leia had dark circles under red eyes, but otherwise, she seemed to have regained her fortitude. She gestured to a chair in front of her. When Rey sat, Leia fixed her with a hard look and said, "I believe it's time you explained to me exactly the nature of your relationship with my son."

Rey breathed deeply. With a pregnant pause her mind raced with so many fictions, and white lies, and omissions to make it seem less important than what the General saw with her own eyes. But then, Rey has never been a liar. There was no better place to start than the beginning. She began relating what happened when Ben attempted to extract the map from her mind. She explained the resulting force bond and finally confessed her presence in the throne room, and that she was the reason the Resistance was being blamed for Snoke's death. She continued, telling Leia about the strange dreams she had and how together she and Ben had stopped the assassination attempt. After that, they were often connected by the force bond, which led to Ben's offer to train her. She told Leia everything she could remember about Ben's plan to unite the First Order and the Resistance and his efforts to rule for the benefit of the citizens of the galaxy instead of the prosperity of the First Order. Rey stuck to facts and generalities, she didn't think it was the time to discuss word for word their conversation about Han's death, the way she felt when they touched, or the fact that they somehow slept in the same room each night.

When Rey finished, she sat watching apprehensively as Leia processed everything she had just told her. Leia pondered quietly for sometime. Finally, she said, "He asked you to rule the galaxy with him?"

Rey frowned, again taken aback by one of Leia's unexpected responses. She nodded uncertainly. 

"Well, I think it's about time you accepted that offer, don't you?"

Rey stared, stunned. "You aren't mad? You... you don't think I'm a traitor?" 

Leia cracked a wry smile now. "Why? Because you didn't tell me that you are in love with my son? That's hardly an unforgivable offense." 

Rey felt a jolt at the suggestion, but could find no way of refuting it. She was in love with Ben. Every step of their relationship has been so hard won, so much mistrust had to be overcome, that she hadn't even realized the point where their bond had become the center of her hopes and dreams, the groundwork on which she unwittingly bet her future.

Leia continued, “Love is what made my father save Luke. Hope and love is what made Luke even try to turn our father. The Force has brought you two together. No one can fight that.” 

Rey had no time to respond or contemplate her meaning- Captain Golst rushed in, his face white, looking as if he were on the verge of a break down.

"General Organa, please, I must speak with you immediately!!" 

"Captain Golst, I am in the middle of an important meeting..."

"Mala, she's in trouble! She needs our help!"

"Please, sit down."

Captain Golst wobbled to the nearest chair and dropped into it, a holo screen gripped tightly in his hands. 

Leia turned the same piercing gaze on Captain Golst. "Now, please explain yourself."

"Command intercepted a distress signal that was sent to our last base. We continue to monitor comms of the abandoned structures in case our allies don't have updated information. The message is for you...it...its..."

Captain Golst stopped trying to explain and played the holo. It was jittery but it featured a young woman, looking fearful and desperate.

"General Organa, my name is Mala Golst. I have been an ambassador for the First Order on Naboo for the past eleven years. While there, I learned much about the Republic and the system of governance that the rebels fight for. Recently myself and many others were called from our duties and received training for new positions. Our instruction included missions planetside, but myself and eight others who no longer wish to serve the First Order saw this as our chance to break away. We have deserted our mission and fled to opposite side of the planet. Once the First Order realizes what we've done, they will hunt us down and slaughter us. I've sent you out coordinates. Please come to our aid, we will prove to be valuable allies!"

The message ended and silence crowded oppressively around the trio. 

Finally, Leia said, "It could be a trap."

Captain Golst wiped water from his eyes. "But what if it isn't? What if I could be reunited with my daughter. General, wouldn't you do anything for the chance to bring your son home?"

The comment hit its mark, but Leia still hesitated. "We just suffered an attack on Carida that could have been devastating to the Resistance. I have spent days appealing to our sympathizers, calling for more aid and personnel. The response has been limited. I can't put the people on this ship at risk."

"I'll go."

Leia and the Captain turned to look at Rey curiously.

"Chewie and I can take the Millennium Falcon. We can scout the area, determine if it's safe and the distress signal is legitimate. We can leave in the morning and be back in a couple days."

Leia considered while an emotional upheaval from the Captain inundated her. 

"Shouldn't you take Finn with you as well?"

"No. If anything goes wrong, you'll need him here to protect the crew."

Leia nodded, "Go make your preparations, I'll inform Chewie." As they all rose from their seats, Captain Golst lost control of the tears he had been holding back and pulled Rey into an awkward hug.

"THANK YOU! Thank you so much! Please bring my Mala home."

Rey nodded. Captain Golst left the room and Rey followed. When she got to the door, Leia called after her.

"And Rey? May the force be with you."


	15. Divided

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey forced herself back into focus, as she tried to get to her feet. Turning toward the wreckage now, she realized she was alone.  
> "No, no, no, no, no, no, NO...Chewie!"  
> She tried to scream it, but the smoke from the burning debris was starting to engulf the area. Coughing and stumbling she tried to remember where she had last seen him. She could hear voices now, and thought she could see an outline of what looked like stormtrooper armor.  
> "CHEWIE!" she rasped again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a doozy. Any comments or thoughts are appreciated. Thank you for sticking this out! 5 chapters left to wrap it all up! Ack! Hope this all is laid out understandably and you have … well... feelings. Good or bad... we don't mind ; )  
> For you listening enjoyment
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8IrtEkWcBQ - Ashes of Eden by Breaking Benjamin  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrbY9gDVms0 - Wolves by Selena Gomez

Ben brooded in his room like a chastised teenager. He couldn't imagine what was currently transpiring between Rey and his mother, and waiting was killing him. He flexed his hands and pressed fists into his knees in an effort to control his nervousness. He was horrified at his own reaction. Years of rushing head first into conflict, of throwing himself at death dealing situations without hesitation, but one awkward reunion with his estranged mother, and he fled like a coward. He should have said something! Anything! Instead he left Rey to try to explain to the leader of the Resistance why she was intimately involved with the Supreme Leader of the First Order. What if Rey was suspected of treachery, even accused of being an agent of the First Order? He couldn't stomach sitting, doing nothing. Just as he got up, his thoughts were startlingly interrupted by someone at his door. For a moment, Ben was at a loss; he could hardly believe that someone would risk disturbing the Supreme Leader in his personal chambers. Then the sudden realization that this must be a matter of extreme importance struck him and he hurried to the door. A man and woman, both members of his personal staff, stood without looking pale.

  
"Supreme Leader, we apologize for the intrusion, but it was unavoidable. We've been monitoring the student missions. Most have already reported in, but the group assigned to Onderon... they landed and were attempting to set up base camp when we received a com...they had encountered what they believed to be a legion of insurgents, and... we lost contact shortly afterwards and have been unable to reestablish a connection. We are unable to confirm, but we are afraid they have been attacked by a hostile force and we are requesting permission to send in a company of storm troopers to assist.."  
  
"Prepare the company. Give the coordinates for Onderon to Command and instruct them to jump to light speed immediately. Ready my ship, I will escort them personally."  
  
Before they could respond, Ben closed the door and hurriedly dressed. Inside of an hour the company was assembled in the docking bay and they were being briefed on the situation. Hux was noticeably absent, so Ben sent him a hasty com, left instructions for his staff, and supervised boarding. They departed immediately.  
  
_I'm sorry, Rey, I can't be with you tonight_.  
  
Ben thought out. And he knew she heard him.  
  
Rey was finishing her own preparations when she felt Ben's message to her. He wouldn't be there tonight. Rey was concerned about what could have called him away, but she was so exhausted from the events of the day that she couldn't spare it much consideration. She flopped on her bunk and drifted off to sleep, thinking how small her room felt. The time indicator sounded much too early. Rey groaned, wishing she could stay where she was. But the details of the task ahead and the look of urgency on Captain Golst's face prodded her out of bed. All the arrangements had been made the night before, she needed only to bathe, change clothes and gather some personal items. She met Chewie in the docking bay on time. There was no one to see them off, only a handful of people even knew where they were going and why. Rey had requested that Leia inform Finn of their whereabouts and the reason she was going alone. Soon they were leaving the Oblivion behind and jumping to light speed, following the coordinates Mala had relayed.  
  
  
Tal watched from an out of the way corner of the docking bay as the Millennium Falcon departed. He fidgeted. _Damn, just the two of them?_ He knew the Oblivion itself wouldn't respond to the call, but he had assumed the Captain and Leia would send a battalion, especially with the threat of the big bad First Order about to swoop down on their precious little turncoats. Tal sniffed. Well, it really didn't matter how many were on board and how many were off ship. His job was still the same. He stole away and sent confirmation to General Hux. The response was quick, everything was going according to plan on the Finalizer. Time to move on to phase two.  
  


The Oblivion was dropping out of lightspeed and Rey got her first look at their destination. The planet was small, not much larger than a moon, and a thick blackish green color. It did not look inviting. On approach she was able to make out marks of civilization, all surrounded by dense jungle. They moved past the cities and headed toward the specified coordinates. Their destination lay deep in the woodland. They made a couple of passes, looking for a good spot to land. They didn't see anyone, but they did find a small compound that looked old and neglected. There was a clearing not too far away so they landed and disembarked. Normally Chewie would have stayed with the Falcon, but since it was only the two of them, he accompanied Rey as backup. The sensations were overwhelming as she stepped outside. This place was crawling with life. There were masses of lifeforms all around. The energies were so compounded that Rey couldn't tell if there were any humans in the vicinity or not. Rey frowned, she had been counting on her force perception to help her sense if this was a trap or a legitimate call for help. She ventured forward timidly, trying to separate and categorize what was around them. The answer came in the sound of several projectile launchers firing on the Millennium Falcon.  


* * * * * *  
  
Ben had been scanning the planet carefully since they arrived. The sensors could find no trace of the ship that the students had been transported in. His efforts to reach the Knight in charge had gone unanswered. When the whole surface had been swept and revealed nothing, Ben plotted a course to the area where the camp should have been established and set the autopilot. Now he reached out with the force, scanning energies. Ben thought about the way he had reached out to Silbatta before they had landed, how he had been able to focus in on the lifeforms there even from a considerable distance. He did that now, and at such close range it was astounding how much he could feel and experience. It was as if the entire world were under a magnifying glass, and he could study any part of it in detail. Fascinating as it was, it did not make it much easier to find what he was looking for. The system teemed with people and animals. Even the plant life and the ground itself seemed to scream at him with energy. He hadn't yet practiced enough with this avenue of the force to be able to filter the various aspects of what he was sensing. Before he could guess at a way to fine tune this ability, the tone sounded, signaling their arrival at the location for base camp and the craft began to descend.  
  
Whether it was something she sensed through the force, or simply a survival instinct, Rey realized what was happening before the missiles came into view. She shrieked, _"RUN!"_ At the top of her voice and she and Chewie sped towards the woods. They didn't make it. The missiles hit the Falcon seconds later causing a tremendous explosion that Rey felt rather than saw as she was thrown to the ground. She turned to see the disembodied cockpit screeching towards her. Rey collapsed to the ground again curling into a ball. The enormous piece of shrapnel crashed to the ground behind her, jarring her nearly senseless. Rey forced herself back into focus, as she tried to get to her feet. Turning toward the wreckage now, she realized she was alone.  
  
"No, no, no, no, no, no, NO...Chewie!"  
  
She tried to scream it, but the smoke from the burning debris was starting to engulf the area. Coughing and stumbling she tried to remember where she had last seen him. She could hear voices now, and thought she could see an outline of what looked like stormtrooper armor.  
  
"CHEWIE!" she rasped again.  
  
When they ran, he had been right behind her... Rey turned her attention back to the destroyed cockpit. Her stomach turned as she saw an arm sticking out from under the edge. Thrusting her hand out, she lifted the twisted heap of metal and glass and flung it at the line of stormtroopers, flattening several of them. Chewie lay in the shallow crater beneath. The compartment had crushed his lower half completely. Rey knew she could lift him, use the force to carry him into cover without inflicting further damage, but a primeval part of her rejected the idea. There was no way to care for his wounds here, and she could already feel the life slipping away from him. As if reading her thoughts, Chewie drew in a gurgling breath and told her to run, he would cover her. Rey cried, No, no she couldn't leave, not like this. But Chewie heaved another difficult breath and growled at her to go, now, as he clicked the safety off his bowcaster and pointed it toward the advancing line of stormtroopers.

  
Running. She was running, though she couldn't remember when she started, and she could hardly see where she was going through the tears in her eyes. She fled blindly through the dense undergrowth, images from the wreckage haunting her even as they happened. Chewie was shooting at the stormtroopers. One. Two. A third just wounded. They are getting closer. It wasn't the feeling of pain that tore Rey's heart. The impact must have severed his spine, because there was little pain, it was mostly just a struggle to pull in air. What shattered Rey was the last thoughts Chewie had: Regret at not being able to do more, and a grief that he had let Rey down. Rey dropped to the ground and let out an inhuman howl that ripped through the air, the jungle, and the ground itself. The earthquake toppled the stormtroopers like they were children's toys. A fissure rent the earth beneath them and swallowed half of their team whole. Rey rose from the ground. Her hands were shaking now, _like Ben's_ , she thought, but it wasn't just her hands, her whole body vibrated with rage and sorrow. She had lost her staff, but she was ready to shred what was left of that battalion with her bare hands. She took a step back the way she had come, when one clear thought suddenly rang out in her head. _What about the fugitives?_ She had no way of knowing whether this had been a set up, or if those stormtroopers had come after Mala and the other defectors.

She had to get to the beacon. On raw impulse, she had just unleashed an exponential amount of energy into the surrounding area. She thought her instinct had directed it toward the army, but wasn't it just as likely that the shock wave could have harmed the people she had been sent here to protect? _If there were any people here to protect._ She needed to know what was going on here. Decided, she turned her back on the recovering throng and pushed on toward the compound.  


* * * * * *

What Ben found at base camp was a startling amount of nothing. There was no transport ship, no camp, no students. Not even a communicator. Uneasiness began to creep down his spine. He stopped in place and extended his hand. Closing his eyes, he concentrated carefully. He searched for the reported insurgents. It was hard to sort through the abundance of life here, but the force signatures began to take on color, and he could soon distinguish between the animals and plants. He stretched far into the forest around him, but he could find no human life, save for the stormtroopers accompanying him. Something was wrong here.

Just as he thought it, he felt a white hot bolt of energy streak through the sky. He opened his eyes to see a beam, identical to the energy weapon on an Enforcer moon, consume his ship and reduce it to a flaming pile of rubble, no larger than the diameter of the ship itself. The stormtroopers gathered rapidly around Ben, forming two tight circles around the Supreme Leader. But Ben was already moving, calling out instructions to take cover in the jungle, his mind moving at light speed. The circle broke and they all fled toward the thick growth around them. Another beam of energy descended like a broad curtain scorching the stormtroopers farthest back and then drifting on toward Ben and the remaining men. The cover of forest would be useless if that beam continued on its path. Ben stopped short of the woods, turned to face the searing wall of flame and put a hand toward its source. He followed its energy to the point of origin, not surprisingly, an unsanctioned Enforcer Moon. Ben twisted a portion of beam back on itself and burned the laser right back through the moon. The conflagration disappeared just before reaching him.

Ben took in his surroundings. There were only about 30 soldiers left, their ship had been disintegrated, and there was a traitor in the First Order, trying to make sure they didn't leave the surface alive. Considering the options, there seemed only one viable solution. They would have to make their way on foot to the nearest city and arrange transport. He called what was left of the company to him and explained their situation. There was little to arrange, they had no supplies to gather, so the forward march began with Ben setting the pace. It would be nearly night by the time they reached the city, so there was no time to waste. The animals in this woodland would pose enough danger during the day, they didn't need to challenge the night hunters.

As they waded through the undergrowth, Ben's senses pricked. There was movement behind them, and not just a little. An entire battalion was stalking them. Ben frowned. He had stretched his senses far out around the camp in search of students, insurgents, anyone, and had not felt this crowd. They had been kept intentionally out of range, and very quiet. Pieces of the puzzle were clicking together, and Ben didn't like the picture it was creating. Now that they were closer, Ben searched through their minds, locating the Captain and reading the orders from his mind as if they were printed on a holo screen. These men were backup. The hope had been that the Enforcer Moon would wipe out Ben and his crew and they wouldn't need to lift a finger. Now that they had been activated, the battalion was taking it's time, waiting for them to reach a less covered spot, where they could flood in and overpower them with superior numbers. Ben transmitted instructions quietly to his men, keeping them close to each other, but spread in a line rather than a cluster. They moved carefully through the jungle trying to leave the least amount of tracks as they could. Suddenly, the sound of cries and blaster fire rose up behind them. Ben knew why, the fear of the men behind them wailed _gutkurrs._ Some of their stalkers were trying to flank them and they had stepped into a nest of the ravenous beasts. Without the force to tell them what lay ahead, the stormtroopers were easy prey. Ben smiled at the thought.  
  
A little ways across the planet, Rey virtually ignored the band of stormtroopers that were trying to reorganize and track her through the wood. After she had decimated half their number with one scream, she didn't feel they needed much attention. Instead her focus lay on the abandoned compound they had spied from the air. Rey was sure that was where the signal had come from.

There was a clearing around the structure, but Rey stayed in the cover of the jungle. She tried to read if there were people within, or an ambush without, but again the rollicking masses of life around her made it indecipherable. When she had circled the building and done everything in her power to read the terrain, she made her approach. She came from behind, there was more growth encroaching on the structure and she was able to stay relatively hidden until she actually reached the door. It pulled open easily and she peered at the dark interior before crossing the threshold. Once the door was shut behind her, it took several moments for her eyes to adjust.

She was in a narrow hall with doorways that opened to rooms on either side. Rey stepped softly through the mostly empty rooms, looking for some sign of life. There was little to investigate, the place had been stripped of whatever it held before, and what was left was no mystery: some sort of holding cell, a weapons rack, a kitchen. This looked like the sort of place where the rebels had once hidden, but it had been deserted long ago. There were double doors at the end of the hall that Rey guessed led into a great room. Though she took time to investigate all the side compartments, she knew she would find what she was looking for in there. She pushed the double doors aside and stepped inside. Two tall fireplaces stood on the wall in front of her. The roof on this section had been partially torn off, and the afternoon light spilled lazily in, lighting the desolate scene. In the center of the room, glimmering in sunlight, was a single relay, pointing at an angle to the clear patch of sky visible above. A relay, that would transmit a recorded message and authenticate the coordinates sent, just in case it was traced to it's origin.

Rey's hands started to shake again. She clenched a fist and the relay crumpled to the ground. The misery and animosity she had staved off with the hope that the mission was still viable, that there was still someone she could bring back; now gushed over her. It had been a lie. Chewie had died for nothing and no one. Those remaining stormtroopers were going to wish they had been buried alive, because now she was going to rip them limb from limb. There was nothing she wouldn't do to make them pay.  


* * * * *  
  
The trek had been slower than he hoped, but Ben and his crew had managed to stay ahead of their pursuers and safe from the worst of the dangers the jungle presented. They were moving slower because the incident with the gutkurrs had given him an idea. He had been subtly directing the enemy force into hazardous areas. Every time they passed something precarious, Ben would mark it and make it seem that his company was lingering there, or turning in that direction. It hadn't made a huge impact on the copious horde, but it relieved them of a few of their number and hindered their progress.

The problem came when the forest began to thin and a vast plain appeared before them. Ben halted at the edge of the wood. Turning to the left would lead them down to a swampland. Heading right would run them into boulders progressing to a steep cliff face. They had to traverse this plain to bypass those dangers before they could consider changing direction. There was no cover, just tall grass reaching nearly waist high. Ben was sure that they would not all make it through this pass, but he could feel the regiment behind advancing. They had passed the densest growth, and upon coming to the more sparse area they were making better time. Hesitating no longer, Ben strode forward quickly, trying to keep them out of blaster range as long as possible. Ben prepared as well as he could, but they hadn't made it half way before the first shots came.

Two of his company dropped as the others spun and returned fire. Ben shoved back the front line, toppling those behind them, and allowing his men to take down many of them in the disorder, but he knew it would only buy them a little time. He did what he could, redirecting blaster fire and turning it back on their aggressors, but their numbers were quickly dwindling. Finally, he heard the sound he had been waiting for, and watched as a herd of wild dalgos trampled through the ranks of their enemy. It had taken longer than he expected, but now the creatures he had called descended on the battalion en masse. Rupings dove from the sky, snatched up stormtroopers, and carried them straight up before dropping them on their companions below. Gutkurrs tore apart the ranks. Still they advanced.

There must have been at least five hundred in this division. Ben signaled to the largest dalgo and it came to him. It was difficult to ride without a saddle, but he found his balance and directed it to charge. Now able to strike with his lightsaber, Ben routed the enemy force. When the formation had been shredded, Ben directed the remaining beasts to track and ravage those who had run. Turning to see if any of his loyal troop had survived, Ben's mount was suddenly hit by blaster fire and he was thrown to the ground. From where he lay, Ben sensed the Captain coming for blood. He reignited his saber and shot it through the air, decapitating the Captain even as he took his next step. Getting to his feet, he retrieved his saber, then turned suddenly at the sound of conflict behind him. It was coming from the far side of the meadow that he and his troopers had been trying to reach. He raced across the space, surprised that any enemy soldiers had been able to make it that far past him. Reaching the edge of the field, he looked down to see that he was at the top of an embankment that dropped rapidly, leveled off then sloped more gradually down to the edge of the forest. What he saw there, just outside of the jungle made him stop cold.  
  
_REY??_

 


	16. Unknowns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Wait, where are you going?" Rey asked, trying not to sound as panicked as she felt.
> 
> "We will need food and water for tonight. I won't be long."   
> Rey laid by the fire, trying to enjoy the tranquility, but she was cranky. Raise my heart rate and then tell me to get some sleep! Nerve burner.   
> A swell of dark humor countered.  
> Almost as nervy as fighting the praetorian guard with me then leaving me unconscious on the throne room floor...  
> Rey did a mental eye roll.   
> I'm sorry, I thought we moved past that when I saved you from being assassinated!  
> A smirk.  
> Shouldn't you be sleeping?  
> Shouldn't you be here with me?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for this... please let us know what you think, feel. Doesn't matter if it's negative. Any thoughts are welcome.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0lw3qylVfY - Unsteady by X Ambassadors  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=537v5Avw_mU - Hear You Me by Jimmy Eat World  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtDgwQi1DD0 - Show Me What I'm Looking For by Carolina Liar

_REY??_

  
Ben stood motionless, staring. Rey looked like an apparition, she seemed shrouded in a murky shadow, even as she stood in the sun. She was fighting a cluster of stormtroopers, and she was _slaughtering them_. One she spun in the air, stripping him of his armor then slamming him into a boulder. Two advanced on her at once. She crooked a finger and a tree uprooted and fell, smashing them into the ground. One charged at her with a Z6. Rey snapped her fingers and the weapon split into pieces. Undeterred the stormtrooper pulled a blaster from behind him. Rey stopped the shot with one hand while raising the other above her head. A branch from the fallen tree ripped from the trunk, bark peeling as it spiraled through the air, landing as a staff in her raised hand. She shoved the blaster bolt back at the stormtrooper hitting him in the leg. Two others, seemingly the last, flanked him and they made a desperate rush at Rey. Standing her ground, she waited until they closed the gap, then ripped the weapons from their hands and swung the heavy branch. She caught the first directly in the face, leveling him. One spun around behind her and received a jab in the gut followed by a blow to his lower back that probably damaged his spine. The last had managed to get an arm around her throat and tried to drag her to the ground. Rey flung her arms to the sky, and her attackers shoulders rotated backward unnaturally far, both dislocated. The man dropped to his knees, screaming. Loosened, Rey turned and kicked him so hard Ben could almost hear his neck snap. Surveying the fallen bodies, and finding no more enemies, Rey fell to the ground and shrieked, sending out a shock wave that cracked a boulder in front of her.  
  
"REEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYY!"   
  
She felt like she had been in a haze since she left the compound. Leading the remaining stormtroopers into viscous traps, subjecting them to monstrous deaths, it all seemed like some sort of nightmare that was evaporating from her consciousness now, seeing Ben. This was no mind trick, no hallucination. Not even a force bond, she could feel the difference, the electricity that had gone from one end of her body to the other when he called her name. Even if she had still been facing a hundred stormtroopers, at the sound of his voice she would have dropped everything and ran heedlessly to him. The darkness around her seemed to melt away with each step and she called out.  
  
"BEEEEENNNNN!?" She couldn't wait to feel his arms around her finally.  
  
Ben was also moving now, hurrying down the steep incline toward her, still astounded that she was here, but more concerned now with being with her than pondering how it was possible. When she reached the spot where the ground leveled off, she stopped, her quick breaths coming from so much more than the physical exertion.   
  
Ben didn't slow his pace when he reached her and he didn't hold back. He could feel it in her, she didn't want him to. He pulled her close and kissed her. It was aggressive, passionate, and somewhat strained. He paused, resting his forehead against hers, then leaned in again. This time it was slower, deeper, and more fervent. Even when the kiss ended, they could not let go of each other. They stood, Rey- with both arms wrapped around his waist, her head on his chest; Ben- with one arm around her shoulders, and a hand cradling her head. He knew Rey could feel his thoughts, but he wanted to tell her, to say it out loud like a vow: he would never let anything separate them again. He loosened his grip so he could look down upon her face, but as she looked up at him, her eyes lost focus, rolled back, and she collapsed in his arms.  
  


* * * * *  
  
Rey woke to a tantalizing smell and a bone splitting pain howling through her body. She was lying inside what looked to be a cave, wrapped in Ben's cloak. It was raining steadily, and a small fire was crackling nearby. If it hadn't been for her splitting headache, it would have been romantic. Ben was roasting something over the small flames, but he turned his attention toward her as she stirred. Her stomach growled and she tried to get up but didn't have the strength. Ben came to her side and helped her sit, leaning her back against the wall. Rey groaned and lifted a weak hand to her forehead.   
  
"You know, I did warn you about overextending yourself when using the force knowledge I imparted to you."  
  
Rey cracked one eye and peered at him from under her hand. "Really? An 'I told you so'?"   
  
Rey twitched a finger and flipped a loose stone at him. He caught it without shifting his gaze and laughed. She loved the sound, it was deep and rumbled and could rival a thunderstorm. Resting his chin on his hand, he said, "Hello, Rey, I'm happy to see you."  
  
Rey softened. She could feel the strain behind his playfulness. He _was_ happy to see her, but he was also well aware of the dire circumstances that had brought them together.  
  
She smiled beaming back at him, "Hello, Ben. I'm very glad to see you as well."   
  
"Now that you are awake, perhaps you would like to explain what the _hell_ you are doing in this jungle?"  
  
Rey took a breath, the grief of Chewie's death threatening to engulf her. Briefly she related that they had received a message calling for help, and that she and Chewie had responded in the Falcon. She choked through the description of how the Falcon was destroyed and what had happened to Chewie. The tears trickling down her face turned hot as she told him what she found in the compound, and how she had taken vengeance on the remaining stormtroopers. No matter how justified, there had been no comfort in wiping out the stormtroopers, and now she wailed. Sobbing into her arms crouched in on herself.

Ben knelt next to her and put his arm around her shoulder, letting her get it out.   
  
"I had to just leave him out there, to die alone...and...and he's probably being torn apart by wild animals...I can't stand it." she buried her face in the crook of her elbow and heaved raspy sobs.  
  
"He is not out there."  
  
It took a bit for Rey to turn back the tears and find her voice. Finally she peeked over her arm looking confusedly at him. Ben was staring off into the distance. Tears were welling in his eyes as well.  
  
"What?"  
  
Ben's voice was thin as he answered. "I followed the path back to the wreckage... When I saw what had happened...I buried him." His eye twitched and a stream of tears traveled along his scar. Rey struggled to breathe through the tightness that was constricting both their chests.  
  
The fire hissed and Ben returned his attention to the food. Coming back he handed Rey a skewer of well cooked flesh.   
  
Trying to regain a sliver of composure, Rey wiped at her face like a child and asked, "What is it?"  
  
"Meat. And if you want to enjoy it, don't ask any more questions."  
  
She was so hungry she was sure she would have eaten anything presented to her, regardless of where it may have come from. After three sticks of mystery meat, her hunger dissipated and she started to realize how stiff and sticky she was from the battle. As much as she wanted to know what had brought Ben here, she didn't feel like she could concentrate on anything while in such a foul state. _I probably smell terrible._ She thought.  
  
"So, does this place have a 'fresher?"  
  
"Something like that. I'll show you."  
  
Ben helped her to her feet and they walked around behind the mouth of the cave and followed the rock face around until the ground dipped and they came to a place where water spilled from the slab into a rocky pool then flowed into a small stream. Rey slid fully clothed into the pool, keeping her head just barely above the surface. The water was warmer than she thought it would be and it eased some of the ache within. Ben still stood watching her.   
  
"I think I can handle it from here."  
  
"Are you sure? I'd be happy to stay." Ben's eyes twinkled mischievously.   
  
Rey rolled her eyes. "I know where to find you if I need you."  
  
Ben nodded and left without another word. Rey stripped, washing her clothes first and laying them out to dry. She spent a long time just floating in the pool. Finally, she tried to get to the business of cleaning up. She didn't have any soap, but she tore a piece from her shredded tunic and used it to scrub away the blood and sweat that seemed to be caked everywhere. Last she tried to wash her hair, but she was so drained she couldn't lift her arms. She crawled over to her clothes and pulled on her under shirt. Then she dropped back into the pool.  
  
 _Ben, I need your help._  
  
Ben was back at the pool in an instant. Rey felt momentarily embarrassed.  
  
"Would you please help me wash my hair?"  
  
"Of course,” he said seriously, at the same time turning a shade of red.  
  
Ben took the job more seriously than she had thought he would, carefully loosening the ties and separating the tangles as best he could, then gently rinsing out the dirt. He couldn't help but think about how petite and feminine she was. Being so close, finally feeling real in his arms- he felt a bubbling of protectiveness rise in him. When he had finished, he looked at her ragged clothes. 

"You need something dry to wear." 

  
Before Rey could answer, Ben removed his shirt, exposing the full length of the scar she had given him on Starkiller Base. It hurt her to look at it now, to know how close she had come to killing him. She would be lost now if she had. Ben looked at the sky. "I'll get more firewood and meet you back inside."

She watched him walk around the corner. _He's so massive and broad_. _Intimidating. But so gentle with me._  
  
Suddenly feeling very tired, Rey climbed out of the pool, pulled off her wet shirt and dressed in Ben's instead. It was like a dress on her and the rest of her clothing was still damp, so she took it all back to the cave and laid it around the fire. By the time Ben came back with the firewood, Rey had dried and redressed in her own clothes. What she really wanted to do was stay in Ben's shirt, wrap up in his cloak, and lose herself in the enchantment of the moment. But the reality of their situation was weighing heavily on her mind. And if they were going to have a solemn conversation, _Ben had to have his shirt on._ There was the suggestion of a smile on his face as he accepted the garment and put it on, and Rey could feel her face turn red. But she sobered quickly and got to the point.   
  
"Ben, why are you here, on this planet, alone?"  
  
He turned serious and sat down.  
  
"I was informed that we had lost contact with the student crew on mission here on Onderon. An attack by insurgents hiding out nearby was suspected. So I came down with a company of stormtroopers to investigate." Ben looked to the ground. "But it was a lie. I was lured here to be destroyed. Without my knowledge an Enforcer Moon was orbited around this planet. It consumed most of my company before I was able to disable it. The rest were killed when we were attacked by a battalion that was lying in wait to wipe out anyone that escaped from the moon's weapon system."   
  
"What happened to the battalion that attacked you?"  
  
Ben explained how he had summoned an irritable crowd of jungle animals to assist with wiping out the battalion. Rey was impressed at Ben's resourcefulness, but she was bothered by the fact that a traitor had managed to grow and flourish in his presence. She didn't have to ask.  
  
"It was Hux." Ben said matter-of-factly.   
  
"But how? How did you miss it? Couldn't you feel his duplicity?"  
  
"He had help. Someone... someone versed in the force. Most of my students are former spies. Any one of them would be capable of..."  
  
"MALA!" Rey broke in.  
  
Ben peered at her. "How do you know that name?"  
  
"It's why we came here, the message we received was from Mala Golst."   
  
They fell silent, both of them contemplating the meaning of these revelations. Thoughts flowed between them, a plan struggling to form. Finally Ben spoke.  
  
"Tomorrow we move. I'll help you, but you need to regain as much strength as you can, so try to rest now."  
  
"I'm fine, I'm just tired."  
  
Ben's face clouded. "You were _angry_   when you fought those stormtroopers. You tapped into the dark side of the force like never before. There are consequences."   
  
Ben didn't elaborate, but Rey understood. She wouldn't just walk away like nothing had happened. Ben rose from his seat and came toward her. Kneeling, he leaned in and Rey forgot how to think and breathe. But he stopped inches from her face, picked up his cloak laying next to her and wrapped it around her shoulders, and kissed her forehead.  
  
"Get some sleep."  
  
With that he stood and walked toward the mouth of the cave.   
  
"Wait, where are you going?" Rey asked, trying not to sound as panicked as she felt.  
  
"We will need food and water for tonight. I won't be long."   
  
Rey laid by the fire, trying to enjoy the tranquility, but she was cranky. _Raise my heart rate and then tell me to get some sleep! Nerve burner._  
  
A swell of dark humor countered.  
  
 _Almost as nervy as fighting the praetorian guard with me then leaving me unconscious on the throne room floor..._  
  
Rey did a mental eye roll.   
  
_I'm sorry, I thought we moved past that when I saved you from being assassinated!_  
  
A smirk.  
  
 _Shouldn't you be sleeping?_  
  
 _Shouldn't you be here with me?_  
  
The thought was automatic and out before she had considered it. It was followed by silence. Rey shifted from salty to serious.  
  
 _Please? I can't sleep by myself...not anymore..._  
  
Silence.  
  
Rey fretted, anxious until the response came in the sound of Ben's footsteps entering the cave. He lay sprawling out on his back, and extended an arm to Rey, who instantly curled against his side and rested her head on his shoulder. He kissed her temple and said "Rest." There were a few stray thoughts flitting through both their minds and the bond. Rey thought about the new level of intimacy their kiss earlier would bring. Her lips tingled to kiss him again but she was so very tired. It made her wonder if there was a touch of influence in his command to rest. But she was out. Ben on the other hand was concerned about taking care of her and wondered if he'd have time to find food and water in the morning, and oh, the morning. Surely sleeping  _next_   to Rey would have... effects on him. He chuckled to himself and tried not to worry about frightening her off. He fell into comforting sleep himself. 

* * * * *

Ben awoke suddenly to the sound of the rain falling with renewed vigor. A strange feeling of unease possessed him, but he couldn't place it. Every time he tried to identify what was bothering him, it slithered away. He felt like he had been sleeping for a thousand years. Whatever aggravation had awakened him seemed so far removed now. He wanted to stay, to forget the galaxy and trying to unite the sides of the war. To just stay here with Rey in his arms. He pulled her closer, indulging in the serenity that spread through him. Rey was practically unconscious next to him. He worried momentarily about the after effects of her foray into the dark side, but he dismissed the thought just as quickly. He had no doubt in Rey's ability to persevere, and he of all people could understand what could be gained from a scarring experience. The illusion of a sequestered life dissolved. He had done everything he could to align the worlds without war, but there was too much ancient animosity coursing through the galaxy, and now the coming conflict was rushing at them unmercifully. Ben knew he would either rule as Supreme Leader over a unified galaxy, or die trying. Carefully he disentangled himself from Rey and went for provisions.   
  
Rey woke to Ben gently nudging her. She blinked at him groggily as he handed her a cup of water and instructed her to finish it before eating. Ben had been busy while she slept; food was cooking, firewood was stacked halfway up the wall, and somehow he had miraculously produced a mug to hold water. Rey sipped at the water, trying to clear the fog from her brain. She felt a vague unnameable disquiet, and worried that it might be the side effects that Ben had alluded to earlier. Her thoughts were interrupted by the serving of dinner. This meat was darker and gamier than what they had eaten the night before, but Rey wasn't picky.

During the meal Ben laid out the plan for getting off the planet and facing down their enemies. The basics were that they needed to leave Onderon, rally support, and force Hux into direct conflict. They also needed to protect the systems that would be threatened by civil war. Leaving Onderon was simple, basically they needed to find one of the two battalion ships sent by Hux. After dinner they brainstormed the specifics of accomplishing the rest. Rey already knew they could count on the support of the Oblivion. The Resistance might not see eye to eye with Ben, but no one wanted to see General Hux in power. They considered the possibility of collecting support directly from First Order planets, but Ben felt it would take too much time and ultimately weaken his position. They agreed that at this point the coupe was small and quiet.

Hux had physically removed Ben and tried to draw out the Resistance so he could wipe them out at a distance with an Enforcer Moon. So he was not yet able to stand against open opposition. They had to take the battle to him now, before his influence spread. The conclusion was undeniable, they needed to get back on the Finalizer as soon as possible. Rey felt an underlying nervousness from Ben.

  
"Maybe we should split up. Once I get to the Oblivion, I could gather the Resistance..."  
  
"NO!" nearly shouted.

Rey froze, wide eyed.

Ben sighed and wiped a hand over his face. Quietly, but with a tremor in his voice, he spoke again.  
  
"No, we are _not_ splitting up. I need you with me. We do this together."  
  
Rey swallowed hard and nodded. Ben sighed again. "We should get some more sleep. We have some traveling to do tomorrow."  
  
They lay just as they had earlier, Ben pulling Rey tightly to his chest. It didn't take long before he relaxed and his breaths evened out. Rey, after all the time she spent sleeping before, lay just watching the fire and thinking. Though Ben's raised voice had initially startled her, it was the feeling behind it, Ben's complete unwillingness to let her go, that had struck her silent. She had never been so wanted in all her life. And she had never been so drawn to someone as she was to Ben Solo. He was right, they could not be separated. She wanted to show her gratitude for his concern and desire to keep her safe. There was only one way she could think to do that right now. With him here, by the firelight. She adjusted herself a little higher so she could gaze at him. Probing the bond to see if he was sleeping. He was content, and even  _relaxed._ But not sleeping yet. She watched him for a while longer, then reached out to card her fingers through his hair gently, and placed a kiss on his cheek. 

Ben peeked one eye open. "Not tired enough?" 

Rey grinned down at him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you. Go to sleep." She knew he could sense she wasn't just innocently giving a good night kiss. 

He reached up and put his hands in her hair and behind her head, pulling her face to him he whispered against her lips, "Don't be afraid. I feel it too," and he kissed her. She let out a startled sound that slowly turned into a happy one. Rey had  _never_ done this before, but she seemed to sink into the kiss instinctually. There were a few awkward moments such as teeth clacking and nibbles that didn't seem to be in the right place, but overall... it was wonderful. Rey wasn't sure how long they were kissing for when Ben propped himself on the elbow of the arm not embracing her and laid her back down on his cloak, his hand still on her neck. She moaned a little when he put some more of his weight on top of her and he sort of  _growled_ in the back of his throat. He pulled away reluctantly, looking at her glazed over half lidded eyes he knew he had to stop there. For now. 

"What's the matter?" She asked.

"Nothing at all." He said as he looked at her with one of the those intense looks that make her glad she can read his mind. 

"I understand." She said. "I don't want to rush things. There's more important things to focus on now... I'm just so... happy you're here. Thank you. For everything."

He smiled and took her hand kissing her knuckles and laying back down. "Good night, Rey,"

"Good night, Ben."

It took a while for their breathing and heart rates to calm, but finally fell asleep. For the first time in a while, they both had good dreams.

 

********

  
It was the early hours of the morning when Rey snapped awake. It was just becoming light out, but she was sure that something had awakened her, a sound, or... Rey ran to the mouth of the cave and didn't stop. She reached out with the force, and followed it as fast as she could. When she found him, Finn was surveying the path of destruction she had left while crushing the stormtroopers. Rey bounded to him.  
  
"Finn!"  
  
Catching sight of her, Finn ran to meet her, relief pouring off of him. Finn hugged her like he had thought he'd never see her again.  
  
"Rey, are you ok?? What happened? I was afraid you were dead! Then I saw the wreckage and I didn't know what to think!"  
  
Guilt washed over her. She had been so focused on what had happened since her arrival, she hadn't even considered how panicked her friends on the Oblivion would be when they lost contact.  
  
"I have so much to tell you. Come with me."  
  
Rey led Finn back toward the cave, explaining what had happened after they landed; the attack, Chewie's death, her discovery in the compound, and her personal war with the battalion. Finn stayed silent, but she could feel his concern, especially over Rey's ability to single-handedly conquer a battalion of stormtroopers.   
  
"Rey, I have to tell you what has happened on the Oblivion..."   
  
They had just entered the cave, and Finn caught sight of Ben standing by the fire. His reaction was instantaneous. He ripped Ben's lightsaber from his belt caught and activated it before Ben could react. He hadn't taken two steps before Rey was in front of him, stopping him.  
  
"Finn, No! You don't understand. He's not our enemy."   
  
Finn looked at her incredulously, still gripping the saber. "Not our enemy? He kidnapped you, killed Han and nearly cut me in half."  
  
The reminder of his unstable past needled Ben, and he gave in to an uncharacteristic bit of rivalry.  
  
"You may as well listen to her, I could easily disarm you. And I will do so if you can't control yourself."  
  
Finn narrowed his eyes and thrust his chin defiantly. "Keep... talking …. Ren.” Trying to keep his voice steady,”I owe you a saber in the spine. Now seems like as good a time as any to repay you."  
  
Ben made a rude gesture and Finn nearly leapt at him.  
  
"Stop." Rey commanded, placing a hand on Finn's arm and giving Ben a dirty look. Finn's eyes flicked to Rey then back to Ben, his guard still up.  
  
"Rey, you better start talking."  
  
"Mala Golst led him here as well. She has been helping General Hux to organize a coupe. They tried to destroy both of us so Hux could make himself ruler of the First Order, unchallenged. We have to work together to keep that from happening!"  
  
Finn slumped visibly, switched off the saber and tossed it to the ground. He sighed heavily and put a hand over his eyes.  
  
"We might be too late."  
  
"What??"  
  
"That's what I was trying to tell you, about the Oblivion..."  
  
Before he could finish a clang sounded, making Rey jump. It came from a messenger bag Rey just noticed Finn had slung over his shoulder. He activated it and Poe's image appeared.   
  
"Finn, what's your status?"   
  
"I found Rey and..."  
  
His eyes flicked momentarily to Ben.   
  
"...she's ok."  
  
"Good, you two need to get back here fast. Something is happening. Hux has called for an assembly and..."  
  
He trails off for a moment looking at something they can't see.  
  
"It's starting now. I'll patch the transmission to you."   
  
The image changed to a First Order conference. Rey and Ben drew closer and Finn handed the holo to Ben. A vast assembly had been called, an enormous gathering of First Order troops and supporters. General Hux took the stage and the recorder focused in on him.   
  
"Ladies and gentlemen of the First Order, I come before you today with grave news. Since the death of our beloved Supreme Leader Snoke, I have been concerned that our empire was being led by a traitor. My investigations, along with the help of other true First Order supporters, have revealed that Kylo Ren killed Supreme Leader Snoke, illegally seized power, and has even been consorting with the Resistance, allowing them to survive and continue their subversive ways. Today, I have made these wrongs right."  
  
Hux made a gesture and two guards walked onto the stage escorting a single prisoner. It was Leia. She was bound at the wrists and looked terribly frail. The guards tossed her irreverently to her knees in front of General Hux.   
  
Hux began again, nearly screaming the words. _"I_ have brought you the rebel leader! _I_ have successfully decimated the remaining Rebel forces she commanded. Here and now, I will put an end to this sickening dissension once and for all! Kylo Ren sought to use the First Order for his own benefit rather than promoting our glorious destiny of galactic dominion. But as I take my rightful position as Supreme Leader, _I_ will guide the First Order into a new era of preeminence, trampling every defiance- just like _this!"_  
  
At that Hux stepped away from the podium and drew a dagger from his belt. He grabbed Leia by the hair, slit her throat, and shoved her body to the floor in a rapidly expanding pool of her own blood. The transmission cut off to the thunderous applause of the audience.   
  
Rey gasped and felt tears streaming down her face before she even had time to process what happened. She felt the calamity almost immediately, as the agony of Leia's death rippled through the force. She looked at Ben, he was trembling, and gripping the screen so tight it was beginning to crack beneath his fingers. He sunk to his knees, then he started to shake, first his hands, then his arms convulsed, crushing the holo screen. The rest of his body followed suit, tremors thrumming through him. Rey was torn from her own misery as she sensed his rapid eclipse into darkness. Voluminous tears suddenly slid down his face and Rey made a move toward him. He looked up at her then and she stopped dead. His eyes had turned red. Not red from crying, or bereavement, the pupils themselves had turned to blistering embers. There was no hint of recognition there, just a twisted engulfing fury. She had never felt anything so black. It was mesmerizingly abhorrent.

A rush from the side broke her spell and she turned her head just as Finn tackled her. But instead of crashing her to the ground, he wrapped his arms around her waist and hoisted her over his shoulder, running for the mouth of the cave. Rey screamed, begged Finn to let her go, and shouted Ben's name over and over reaching out to him. But Finn only rushed faster, and though Rey pleaded with him to stop, the rational part of her could feel the danger. Ben's energy had turned so white hot it was painful. Every time she reached for it, she felt she was being scalded. It was far more excruciating than her visions of the assassin's bomb.

As soon as they burst through the entrance, Finn thrust Rey to the side of the cave threw himself on top of her. Before they even fell to the ground the concussion came. A torrent of raw energy that gashed and mutilated the landscape around them. It was like the whole area was being annihilated.  Rey squeezed her eyes shut and clamped her hands over her ears. Just as the pressure became overwhelming, and she was sure they would be torn apart, the blast lost its momentum, and everything quieted. It was still several moments before Finn started to relax and loosen his hold on her. They separated, panting and struggling to process the disarray around them. It seemed everything had been devoured. The ground had ripped open in jagged tears, trees had been leveled and were burning, a large section of the cave's entrance had fallen in on itself. Seeing this, Rey snapped back into action. 

"Ben!" She cried as she flew back into the tunnel. Finn was on her heels, calling to her to wait, but she could hardly hear him as she shoved heedlessly at the boulders and dirt attempting to block her way. Nearly the entire cave was collapsed. The physical wave of suffering that emanated from Ben had thrashed the whole area around him and obliterated everything in its path. Rey had to dig him out, her only comfort that the roof overhead had not collapsed onto him. She found him kneeling on the floor, staring at nothing. Rey called to him, but he didn't move, didn't seem to hear. His sorrow was debilitating. It wasn't until she reached him, put her hand on his shoulder that he seemed to come back to himself. He looked at her suddenly, his eyes completely black, and Rey worried that he might have gone blind. But this time when he looked at her she could feel the recognition that had been missing before.  
  
"REY?" He stammered through another volley of tears. "My...mother...she's..."  
  
Ben wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her stomach, giving into another quaking fit of anguish. Rey held him, feeling her own hold on stability growing precarious. But then his grip slackened and he slumped to the floor, suddenly unresponsive.   
  
"Ben, we have to go. Now."  
  
He didn't respond. Fresh tears slipped down her face and she put a hand against his cheek.  
  
"Ben, please..."  
  
When he still didn't respond she looked helplessly at Finn, who had been sternly observing them. Giving her a look, he bent and pulled Ben's arm across his shoulders and supported his back. Rey followed suit and together they walked him out of the broken cave and started toward Finn's ship.  
  
  


 


	17. Truce or Dare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We are docking. I need you to meet us in the bay...and try not to shoot us."   
> He signed off before Poe could ask any questions. Not surprisingly, they were met not only by Poe, but also a security detail and two med droids. And still none of them were prepared for Ben's appearance. Every weapon was instantly trained on him, and Poe was understandably upset.   
> "You've got to be kidding me! What the hell is this, Finn??"  
> Finn and Rey advanced, trying to calm him, while Ben stayed back at the base of the ship.  
> "Listen, Poe, He's not here for a fight. We... "  
> "THEN WHY IS HE HERE? WHY WOULD YOU BRING HIM HERE?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey... *crickets chirping* anyone out there??! No comments on the last chapter!? :( We have failed. *waaaahahahahaa* *sniffles*   
> We're sorry if we've run you away. We'll try harder next time. Anyone who sticks it out there's plenty of action coming up in the following chapters. Hold onto your butts, and enjoy the following musical choices:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toFudqdohGs - Easy Silence by Dixie Chicks  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-sigUxXsAA - So Far Gone by Thousand Foot Crutch  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yw04QD1LaB0 - Jealous by Nick Jonas  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iuO49jbovg - Head Over Feet by Alonis Morissette

 

It was slow going back to Finn's ship. Ben could walk, but he didn't seem to have any strength. When Rey reached out to him, he seemed far away. When they finally made it, Finn went to the cockpit while she led Ben to a bunk. He lay without complaint. Rey took his hand and again tried to reach him. He was still distant, closed off within himself. It was starting to scare her, being together had strengthened their bond so much, she already missed the feeling of Ben inside her head. She pressed the back of his hand to her forehead and swallowed back the panic. She needed to stay strong, she couldn't help him if she fell apart.   
  
"I'm going to help Finn. Just rest. I'm here if you need me."  
  
Again Ben didn't respond, just stared out of his black eyes. Rey leaned over him and brushed a kiss across the scar on his cheek, then left for the cockpit. Finn was just pushing their ship out of the atmosphere when Rey joined him. She settled into the copilot's seat and waited until Finn had programmed in the course.  
  
"What's happened on the Oblivion?"  
  
"We weren't wrong, Rey, Tal was a spy." Finn said bitterly, flipping switches and checking screens. "He incapacitated Command and Leia's hall. He had been hiding stun grenades all over the ship. He knocked most of the crew out simultaneously. Mala and her cohorts walked on board and took what they wanted. Then they set a bomb in the engine core and left us all to die."  
  
Rey felt a new grief surge inside her. She coughed, "Oh Finn, how... how did you survive?"  
  
Finn gave her a dry smile. Instead of answering he leaned back and put his hands behind his head. Then he gave a distinctive blink, and the whole ship powered off. Then closing his eyes he whirled a finger in the air and lit up a panel on the right side, then the left. Flicking his fingers outward, the controls in front of him came back on.  
  
Rey grinned, "Somebody's been practicing." She said it in a mocking tone, but she couldn't hide how proud she was, especially not from Finn. "You fried the grenade before it could stun you."   
  
"I fried the grenade before it could stun me."  
  
Finn sighed and his smile slipped a bit. "It didn't make much difference, though. There were only about ten of us that didn't get shocked. We didn't know what was happening or how much of the ship had been affected. By the time we pieced it all together, Tal and Mala had taken Leia and gone. We wouldn't have even known about the bomb if someone hadn't thought to check the security feeds. The Oblivion is a mess now. When Captain Golst realized what happened he blamed himself. He...he took his own life."  
  
Rey closed her eyes against the stinging she felt. So much death already, and the battle hadn't even begun. They were quiet for awhile, then Finn shifted and broached the subject Rey had been dreading.  
  
"So, you want to tell me what's going on with you and Mr. First Order?"  
  
Rey took a deep breath, trying to decide how to explain. It had been hard enough trying to describe their relationship to Leia; trying to justify keeping this enormous secret from her closest friend would be nearly impossible.  
  
"Well...” looking anywhere but at Finn, “When I was taken to Starkiller Base, Ben tried to extract the map from my mind, the way he did from Poe. I didn't let him, but I didn't just resist, I pushed back. It opened a channel into his mind as well. I could read his thoughts, his fears, just as he was trying to do to me. It created this … link? We've come to understand it as a bond between us. We started appearing to each other, we could speak to each other, call to one another. During one of our conversations, I had a vision of him turning back to the light, so...I went to the Supremacy."  
  
Finn didn't say anything, but his hands tightened on the controls, and she could feel how her words set him on edge.   
  
"Snoke ordered Ben to kill me, but he killed Snoke instead, and together we fought the Praetorian Guard."  
  
Finn's blood pressure rose at the mention of the Praetorian Guard, but he didn't interrupt.   
  
Rey looked at her clenched hands, feeling a knot form in her stomach as she thought about what happened next.   
  
"We disagreed on what to do next, it ended in Luke's lightsaber being broken and both of us unconscious. I woke first, and escaped back to the Millennium Falcon and joined the battle on Crait."  
  
Finn considered this for awhile. "Alright, keep going."  
  
Rey stared at him. Finn glanced at her and shrugged. "There's obviously more to it than that."  
  
"The bond continued to connect us, it grew stronger and more frequent. Eventually we made our peace with it, and... and then he offered to train me...to use the force..."  
  
Finn snorted and shook his head. "I knew you weren't getting all that from 'Jedi Meditation Exercises'."   
  
Rey couldn't help but laugh, and the tension eased. She sat quietly while Finn sorted through what she had just revealed.  
  
"So, you're in love with him."  
  
"Yup." No hesitation.   
  
"It's pretty obvious, especially to someone who can sense emotions."  
  
"Yeah? Well, _I_ didn't know it until Leia told me."  
  
Finn's head swiveled toward her. _"Leia knew?"_  
  
"Well she walked in to the arena and saw us together...training."  
  
"Mmmhmm, _training_...sounds right."  
  
Finn was barely restraining his laughter and Rey wished she had a pillow she could smack him with.   
  
Finn recovered slightly, "Wait, how could Leia see him through _your_ bond?"  
  
"I'm not sure, I think it had something to do with the fact that we were touching..."  
  
At that Finn lost control and burst into peels of laughter.   
  
"You...definitely...weren't...training!" He gasped between guffaws. Rey turned red and punched him in the arm. It only made him laugh harder. When he had calmed a bit, he gave her a wry look and a wink before turning his attention back to the controls. Rey scoffed and rolled her eyes, trying to keep her cheeks from turning a darker shade of red.  
  
Back in the med bay of the Millennium Falcon, Ben felt numb. It was like a callous, a place that's been injured so many times it's lost feeling. Or perhaps a burn. A burn that goes so deep its seared right through the nerves. Yes, a burn, because it was all consuming and the damage spread throughout him. Though he couldn't feel the pain, he could feel its effects, a blistering rage that struggled to get out of him and reduce everything around him to ashes. That was why he had trapped himself within. Nearly a coma, it was the only way to be sure he didn't cause another outburst and potentially harm Rey. He had to find a way to control his feelings, but right now he was struggling. It was as if he were once again under Snoke's influence; he couldn't trust himself.   
  
Rey stayed in the cockpit with Finn late into the night. Their ship didn't have lightspeed, so it would take awhile to get back to the Oblivion. Rey couldn't fathom how showing up on the recently attacked ship with the ousted Supreme Leader was going to go over. She wished she had a better sense of strategy. In a fight, she could anticipate enemy moves and counter them efficiently. But to face her friends and try to convince them to put their faith in Ben, she was at loss. Nothing seemed more far fetched at the moment. Especially now, with Ben nearly catatonic, he would be easy prey if some trigger happy rebel decided to seek vengeance.   
  
Finn interrupted her thoughts.   
  
"You should get some sleep. Let me worry about the Oblivion for awhile. We will talk in the morning."  
  
Rey nodded and pried herself out of the chair. Before she left, she pulled Finn into a sideways hug.   
  
"Thanks for coming after me."  
  
"Always."  
  
Instead of claiming a bunk, Rey went to check on Ben. He looked so still, so calm, but she could feel the disorder within. It was riotous, and he was drowning in it. Rey took his hand and tried again and again to reach him, but she couldn't. She could feel him inside the blackness and anger, but she couldn't get a hold to draw him out. She understood a little of what this was like, she had been similarly consumed after Chewie's death. She hadn't been able to break free until...  
  


* * * * *

Ben opened his eyes, seeing clearly. Rey was sitting in front of him, cross legged, eyes closed. She looked like she was meditating, but she was holding both his hands and concentrating hard.   
  
"Rey...?"  
  
Her eyes popped open and she smiled wide.   
  
"Ben! I was so worried!"  
  
She hoisted him up into a tight hug and sighed.  
  
"I knew it would work!!"  
  
Ben leaned back and brushed the strands of hair out of her face. Rey looked like she was on the verge of tears, but she was beaming at him.  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
"I tried so hard to pull you out of the darkness, but I couldn't. No matter what I did I couldn't reach you. But then I remembered when I saw you for the first time on Onderon...When I saw you standing on top of that ridge, you were so full of light. There was hope and joy radiating from you. I was steeped in darkness, but seeing that glow from you, just washed it away. So I thought maybe I could do the same for you...I just pulled from the light, concentrated on hope... on our future."  
  
Rey's light. Of course. It had always had such a draw on him. The effect of Rey's presence had given him the strength to overcome Snoke's control, to resolve conflict within himself. And now she gave him the stability he needed to prepare to face Hux and those treacherous students.  
  
He pulled her down on top of him and gave her a slow, drawn out kiss that was far too suggestive for their present circumstances. Rey forced herself to break away from him and curled up on his chest. Ben could feel her exhaustion, she must have been up all night drawing him out. He played with her hair until she fell asleep then he shifted her onto the bunk and made his way to the cockpit. Finn was still in the pilot's seat, but he had laid it all the way back and was sleeping with his feet on the controls. Ben didn't disturb him, just sat in the copilot's seat and looked at the displays. So many memories flitted through his mind. Sitting in this seat with Chewie and his father teaching him all about flying. Chewie always praised him and patted his back for his natural talent.

They were headed for the Oblivion. The Resistance would not be happy to see him, but they didn't have time to argue. They would need to work together if they were going to confront Hux and reestablish his authority. But he couldn't think of any way to convince them to do that. Ben rubbed at his temples. He wished he could relate to people the way Rey could. People naturally liked her, she had...friends. The closest he had ever come to friendship was the relationship he had with his Knights, and that wasn't the same.   
  
"We will figure it out, but you should probably let Rey and I do the talking to start with."  
  
Ben looked at Finn. He was still lounging back in the chair, but now he was studying Ben carefully. It surprised Ben that Finn was able to read him, he hadn't thought that Finn was that proficient with the force.  
  
Finn chuckled and sat up. "Yeah, turns out I'm pretty good at sensing people's emotions and intentions. You don't actually think I would have brought you back with us if I hadn't been able to tell that you'd changed, do you?"  
  
Ben hadn't considered Finn's reasons for doing what he did at all.  
  
"Anyway," Finn continued, "It doesn't take much force sensitivity to know that you're worried about popping in on a bunch of already freaked out rebels and not only getting them to not shoot you, but getting them to support you and your plans."  
  
"And?" Ben asked, "What do you suggest?"   
  
Finn turned to face him and narrowed his eyes a bit. After a moment he said, "I guess we will convince them that you want what is best for the galaxy."  
  
Finn turned back to the controls in front of him. "I hope that doesn't change."  
  
They were quiet for awhile, then Finn started tinkering with the ship, reaching out with the force to double check systems and see how much he could manipulate from his position in the cockpit.   
  
At length Ben said, "I could show you an easier way to do that."   
  
Finn opened his eyes and regarded Ben uncertainly.  
  
"You're control of the systems is good. But you're using too much energy, pushing your way through. Does it hurt sometimes?"  
  
Finn's eyebrows lifted in surprise. But he nodded. "I get headaches. The first time I did it, I passed out."  
  
Ben nodded. "You are using too much of your own strength. Don't push ahead, just follow the course that the systems run, let the instruments guide you. Remember what you read in the Jedi texts about using the energies around you instead of constantly drawing from yourself? It's much like that."  
  
Finn cocked an eyebrow and pursed his lips. "I don't suppose I want to know how often you sat in on our training sessions."   
  
Ben stared at him straight faced for few seconds, then slowly shook his head. Both men chuckled lightly at this, and Finn returned his attention to the ship, trying the technique Ben suggested.  
  
Rey woke after just a couple hours of rest. She felt like she could drink an ocean of water. She passed the cockpit on her way to the refresher. Finn and Ben were in easy conversation. It seemed Finn was picking Ben's brain, asking about techniques and exercises he had read about in the Jedi texts, and Ben was expounding upon them. It was heartening to see them being peaceable and not just because Rey was keeping them from killing each other. She took her time bathing, trying to work out how her reunion with the Oblivion would go. Even in her imagination, it did not go well.

She felt Ben reaching out to her. He must have sensed her distress, because now warmth coursed through her, accompanied by a soft assurance that they would find a way. As nervous as she was, she couldn't argue. If she and Ben could come this far, then together they could accomplish the impossible. _Ok, now get out of my head._ Rey thought at him. She felt his humor as he responded, _Never ..._ That was likely true as well, it seemed the more time they spent together the more inseparable they were. But Ben did turn his attention to Finn. She gave up trying to plan their entrance and joined the boys in the cockpit. Conversation had quieted, as they were making the approach to the Oblivion. In the end, it was Finn who decided on the introduction. He commed in and asked for Poe.  
  
"We are docking. I need you to meet us in the bay...and try not to shoot us."   
  
He signed off before Poe could ask any questions. Not surprisingly, they were met not only by Poe, but also a security detail and two med droids. And still none of them were prepared for Ben's appearance. Every weapon was instantly trained on him, and Poe was understandably upset.   
  
_"You've got to be kidding me! What the hell is this, Finn??"  
_  
Finn and Rey advanced, trying to calm him, while Ben stayed back at the base of the ship.  
  
"Listen, Poe, He's not here for a fight. We... "  
  
 _"THEN WHY IS HE HERE? WHY WOULD YOU BRING HIM HERE?"_  
  
Poe's words carried hurt as well as anger. Though his voice shook, his blaster stayed perfectly motionless, aimed directly at Ben's forehead.  
  
"Because we have to stop Hux. You heard him on that transmission, his leadership will bring ruin to all the inhabited systems."  
  
"You think I don't know that?" Poe snarled. "You think we haven't spent every second since that transmission preparing for all out war? That's one more reason not to have a First Order Dark Lord _on our Resistance ship!"_ Poe was nearly screaming now. "So give me one good reason why I shouldn't burn a hole though his head right now!"  
  
Rey, who had been silent until then reached out and touched Poe's extended arm.   
  
"Because it wouldn't be the best choice for the galaxy."  
  
Poe finally took his eyes off of his target and looked at Rey, his face twisting as he remembered the pact they had made. Finn followed her line of thought.  
  
" _Everyone_ gets the chance to make a different choice."  
  
With enormous effort, Poe finally dropped his blaster to his side and through gritted teeth, told the security team to stand down. He closed his eyes and pressed a hand to his forehead.  
  
When he dropped his hand he looked daggers at Finn and Rey. "You two better be right about this. You are betting the very last of the Resistance on _him."_  
  
Rey and Finn nodded solemnly, then Rey turned and strode back to Ben. Finn tried to reassure Poe, saying "I know how insane this is. But this really might be our best chance."  
  
Poe gave him a disgusted look and shook his head. Side by side Rey and Ben marched past, leaving the bay. Rey called to Finn over her shoulder. "We need to get to Primary Command."  
  
Poe turned back to look at Finn with raised eyebrows and a grimace. He gestured with a thumb toward Rey and Ben, keeping close company as they departed. Finn made a similarly distressed face and nodded.  
  
Poe groaned and rolled his eyes. "If we survive this, you have a lot of explaining to do."  
  
Command was equally unprepared for the sudden arrival of the former Supreme Leader, and it caused an uproar. Commander Paraton, now acting Captain, set off an alarm and called for security. Most of the command crew abandoned their stations and huddled in a corner as far from Ben as possible. Rey tried to explain, but Caulder was so excited to see her alive and well, he nearly tackled her to the ground, wrapping her in a bear hug and telling her how worried he had been. The look on Ben's face momentarily froze him. He turned pale and carefully separated himself from Rey. Finn and Poe arrived at the same time as Security and everyone started talking at once. Ben cleared his throat and the sound cut through the confusion and everyone quieted and looked at him. He was still focused on Caulder, though his expression was less murderous.   
  
"I need to send a transmission, have you altered any relay codes since commandeering this ship?"  
  
Caulder blinked rapidly, then moved to his station with Ben following. Everyone simply watched, no one seemed to know what to do. Rey turned to Captain Paraton.   
  
"We are organizing an assault against General Hux. We have a real chance at accomplishing the Resistance's objectives, but we need everyone to work together. Please..."  
  
Captain Paraton turned stern eyes on Poe.   
  
"Are you advocating this...this madness?"  
  
Poe looked uncomfortably skeptical, but he answered.  
  
"I believe that the hope that has always fueled the Resistance has faded and I'm willing to do anything to get it back."  
  
Captain Paraton made a face like she had just smelled something that had turned bad, but she ordered the command crew back to their stations. Rey caught Finn's eye and gave him a grateful smile. He responded with a wink and a quick nod. Whatever he had said to Poe seemed to have worked, for now.  
  
Ben straightened from conferring with Caulder, who was still pale, but slightly less terrified than he had been earlier. He addressed Captain Paraton. "Make your calculations for lightspeed, we need to bring this ship to Onderon."  
  
Captain Paraton chafed at being told what to do. "I expect to receive a full explanation as to why you are requesting this course."   
  
Ben nodded and turned to Poe. "I need a fully equipped conference room. In one hour gather all Generals, Commanders, and Captains."   
  
Poe looked like he would rather jump down the throat of a Sarlaac than take orders from Ben, but he marched off to make arrangements. Seemingly satisfied, Captain Paraton instructed the crew to make the calculations and prepare the ship for a jump.   
  
Ben now addressed Finn. "Rey is dehydrated and she hasn't eaten since we were planetside. See that some food and water is brought to the conference room, then assist Poe with his task."  
  
Rey felt a flicker of unspoken understanding pass between them. Finn was to keep an eye on Poe, dissuading him from any subversive activities. Finn nodded and also departed. Rey felt another sentiment, a subtle one from the crew. Though they had their heads down and seemed to be occupied with their work, they were listening to everything Ben said. There was collective surprise over his concern for Rey's well being, and their distaste toward him softened just the slightest bit.  
  
Without turning toward her, Ben spoke to Captain Paraton, who was quietly conversing with Security on the other side of the room.  
  
"That would be unwise, Captain. You have neither the time nor the resources to effectively subdue me. If you want to have any hope of succeeding in this endeavor, you should consider me a fellow rebel instead of an adversary."   
  
Ben didn't wait for her reaction, instead he asked Caulder for a communicator, called Poe and asked for the location of the conference room and requested a holo screen. He gestured to Rey and together they left Command and went to the indicated conference room to prepare.   
  
Poe and Finn had done well at their tasks. The room was open, lit and most of the instrumentation was powered and ready to use. Finn had brought a variety of fruits and proteins, a huge pitcher of water and had even made kaf, which he handed to Ben along with a holo screen.  
  
"Thank you." Ben said off-handedly, accepting both. Poe and Finn exchanged a look, surprised at his polite response. Rey chuckled internally, watching her friends get a glimpse of the goodness she saw in him.   
  
Without taking his attention off the holo screen, he thought to Rey.  
  
 _Start with the water, then eat. I'll need your help later, but right now you need to renew your strength, you didn't sleep enough._  
  
Rey didn't have to be told twice, she was ravenous. From her place by the food, she watched the guys interacting. Poe was sweating. He had to make a concerted effort to control his discomfort around Ben, and then he had to force himself to lend his support to Ben when all his instincts told him to burn him to the ground. Finn was having considerably less trouble. His ability to read people had grown significantly, and he could feel the change that had taken place in Ben and the effort that he was making to improve. Ben settled into a chair and started making notes on what he would cover during the meeting, and Finn, uninvited, dropped into a nearby seat and started making suggestions. Ben felt some momentary irritation at the intrusion, but quickly recognized the value in Finn's contributions, and soon the two were in serious consultation with each other. Rey was just starting to get sleepy when Ben called her over. Ben and Finn regarded her seriously as she joined them.   
  
"We want you to open the meeting." Ben said without hesitation.   
  
Rey was taken aback. She had only planned on being here for support, there was no reason to think that Ben would need any help leading.   
  
"Why? What can I say?"  
  
Finn was the one to answer. "The people on this ship will only see Kylo Ren. They won't have any motivation to listen or to cooperate. But they will listen to you. You have to give them a reason to put their trust in their worst enemy."  
  
Rey couldn't stop wringing her hands. The surviving leaders of the Resistance were filing into the conference room, and they were openly hostile. Poe had gathered them, but had done little to ready them. Finn had told her to just tell them what had convinced her to trust Ben. Well... she would come up with something. It was Ben, Finn, and Rey standing at the front of the room; Poe noticeably chose to stay with the crew.   
  
Rey tried to begin soothingly, trying to calm the tension.   
  
"I know you have all been through a lot in the past few days, and I'm sure you are all wondering what you are doing here."  
  
"We know why _we_ are here. We want to know why _he's_ here." One of the commanders growled.   
  
"And why two people who said they're with us, are standing with the First Order." Another called.   
  
Rey felt her nervousness abate and her temper flare.   
  
"Because there is so much about your own war that you don't even know!" Rey countered. She pointed back at Ben, standing patiently behind her.  
  
"This man killed Supreme Leader Snoke! He prevented the First Order from hunting us down and slaughtering us like animals. Everything he's done since he became the Supreme Leader has been to build a future where there is no need for us to fight!"  
  
"Why should we believe any of this? It could be a trick!"  
  
Ben now took a step forward. "You had a First Order agent working on this ship. Do you really think I didn't know your whereabouts? I could have sent a fleet to tear you apart at any moment. But it was only when General Hux received this information that your rebellion was nearly destroyed. Right now, he is the foremost enemy, a formidable threat to the entire galaxy, and I am offering my assistance in eliminating him and his influence permanently. After that, you can decide whether or not you still want to kill me."  
  
The crowd grumbled, but they couldn't deny that it was General Hux and his associates that had caused so much damage to them, not with the brutality of Leia's death fresh in their minds. Still, Rey could tell they were not fully convinced.   
  
"Whenever Leia and I discussed this war, we always came back to the same truth: Everything is changing, so we must change too. No matter how we looked at the situation, we could never make the old strategies work in these new circumstances. I know she conveyed the same conviction to you, and that you have already seen the benefits of adapting. Look at us! We have all changed so much already."   
  
Rey gestured to Poe, then shifted her focus as she enumerated.  
  
"This demoted Captain learned from his mistakes and became a leader. This stormtrooper overcame his programming and became a hero of the Resistance. I was an orphaned scavenger who learned the ways of the force from it's most powerful proponents. This Master of the dark side of the force rejected Snoke's control and came to the light. If you can just change your perception of this war and how it should be fought, then we can bring this hope we've held for so long to the extremities of the entire galaxy!"  
  
Silence descended on the room. The people were torn between Rey's sincere entreaty and nursing their animosity towards crimes of the First Order. Finally, finally Poe stepped forward.  
  
"What is it you want us to do?"  
  
The conference lasted late into the night. For awhile it was just Poe conceptualizing with Ben, but once the plans started taking shape, others joined in. Even though they had been operating the Oblivion for some time, most of the Resistance leaders were unfamiliar with the details of First Order operations. Ben and Finn's insights were invaluable. Just the fact that Finn was supporting Ben was going a long way to ease the leaders' suspicions. Many of them had been on the bounty hunter's transport and had seen first hand how Finn expended himself in their behalf. Rey found that there was little for her to do. She was neither an expert on the First Order nor military strategy, so once she had vehemently established that she and Ben would not be separated, she just listened.

  
Once the leaders got involved, good progress was made. Each officer received a rough draft of the assignment they would need to complete during battle. Once the tasks had been appointed, the meeting started to break up and the leaders began to trickle out of the room. Rey's eyes had started closing of their own accord and conversation had grown fuzzy. She was already drifting into a dream when she felt Ben close to her. He lifted her into his arms and began to carry her from the room. Rey wrapped her arms around his neck, still enjoying the feel of him being here, being real. As helpful and comforting as their force bond was, it was nothing compared to physically being in the same place. Ben was following her thoughts.  
  
 _Really? Because the first time I carried you like this you wanted to kill me._  
  
Rey smiled. _There are enough people on this ship who want to kill you, I can afford to take the day off.  
_  
Ben chuckled internally, then turned serious. _It was because of you that they listened. I would never have been able to convince them on my own._ Rey was surprised by the tenderness that accompanied this sentiment. They were preparing for what would likely be a costly battle, but Ben's focus was on expressing his gratitude to her. It was amazing how far they had come. He was right, she had wanted to kill him for a long time. But then, seeing Ben with his new found self control, being continually amazed at his knowledge and teaching ability, the way he could be so much more than she was, but he never looked down on her. He saw only her potential, never her deficiencies. He saw her the way she wanted to see herself. And now she saw him too. Not as a monster, but as a man.  
  
Rey was almost asleep again when Ben laid her in her bunk and tucked a blanket around her. After sleeping on the cave floor, her cot felt luxurious. Ben leaned down and gave her a peck on the cheek.   
  
"Goodnight, Rey." He whispered. Then, much to her surprise, he left. Rey turned just in time to see him standing in the hall with Finn and Poe, shutting the door between them.  
  
It was hard to walk away from her, but he knew the Resistance would never trust him to be unguarded, and certainly not to be alone with their beloved Jedi. When they left the board room, Poe and Finn had followed without asking. As soon as he shut the door to Rey's room, he turned to them. "I assume you will be showing me to my cell?"  
  
Finn was sympathetic.   
  
"We have a room for you, but it's guarded."  
  
Ben nodded and gestured for them to lead the way. The room was a basic bunk, not much different from Rey's. There were four guards stationed outside the door.   
  
"There's a 'fresher two doors down on the left. That's...pretty much the only place you are allowed to go...for now. G'Night!"  
  
Ben watched Finn for a moment, his eyes flicked to the guards, then settled on Poe. Without a word, he strode into the room and shut the door behind him.  
  
Finn turned to Poe who was staring at the closed door.  
  
"You ok?"  
  
Poe leaned against the wall behind him and looked at the ceiling.  
  
"This is never going to stop being weird." He said.  
  
Finn smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. "Well, at least we know what the plan is." Poe scoffed but didn't feel as lighthearted as Finn. When Finn disappeared around a corner heading to his bunk, Poe made a detour to the lounge.  
  
The next morning in her room Rey awoke a bit disheveled and disoriented. It wasn't unusual for Ben to be gone when she woke, but he hadn't been with her all night and that was unsettling, especially considering the number of enemies he had on this ship. But she could feel his presence, so he was ok, for now. She called to him anyway.  
  
 _Ben? Where are you?_  
  
 _In the conference room. You may join me whenever you are ready._  
  
Rey didn't waste any time. She cleaned up, changed clothes and then went straight to the board room. There were guards outside the room that hadn't been there before, but they didn't try to stop Rey from entering.   
  
Ben was alone, sitting at the conference table, focused on a holo screen. When he saw Rey, he smiled and gestured for her to come and sit next to him. As soon as she sat, a server droid placed a hot breakfast in front of her. She watched Ben as she ate, he was intent on whatever he was reading, and looked very serious. When she was finished eating she interrupted him.  
  
"What time is the meeting?"  
  
Ben regarded her airily. "The meeting was two hours ago. You slept through it."  
  
Rey was only slightly embarrassed. "Well, I'm sure there's another one coming up."  
  
Ben smiled again at the gibe and put down the holo screen.   
  
"Actually, that was the last of them. Our objective is clear, so the Generals will be reporting to me individually with any concerns regarding their specific assignments."  
  
Rey breathed a sigh of relief. Meetings were not her forte. Ben leaned forward and rested his chin on his hand.  
  
"I needed to make sure that you and I were completely uninterrupted. We have some unfinished business to attend to."   
  
Rey swallowed hard as Ben turned serious and leaned in close.  
  
"Now, where is Luke's lightsaber?"  
  
Rey slumped. "It's in my room." She tried shoving out the other thoughts that went streaming through her mind first, but Ben latched onto them quickly. They both blushed a little. “Sorry,” said Rey.

“No need to apologize. I'm not a monk.” Ben replied.   
  
Most of the day was spent in the conference room disassembling the mangled lightsaber. Periodically, Rose appeared, bringing them various tools that Ben deemed necessary for the task. Rey could feel her nervousness about being around Ben, but she knew this was unavoidable, and Rose was just going to have to get used to it. It was true of all the crew, really. The truce they had hammered out was fragile at best, and no one seemed fully comfortable with it. Except, perhaps, for Finn, who had managed to keep his cheerful demeanor.  
  
As they worked, Ben identified each piece and explained how the mechanisms operated. When they reached the hilt, he cautiously opened the crystal chamber and took Rey's hand, turning it palm up. He emptied the contents into her hand and they sat quietly staring. The crystal had been snapped in half, one piece slightly larger than the other. Finally Ben leaned back.  
  
"It's incredible that it didn't kill us."  
  
Rey looked up, wide eyed. "What?"  
  
"Destabilized crystals have been known to destroy entire transport freighters."   
  
Rey peered at the crystals, barely larger than pebbles in her hand. "I had no idea they contained so much power."  
  
Ben watched her, thinking. "How do they feel?"  
  
"Warm, like they are heating up."  
  
Ben considered this, and a sudden realization hit Rey. "They aren't going to explode, are they?"  
  
Ben looked at her solemnly. Then suddenly rose and stalked out of the room.   
  
_"BEN!"_  
  
Rey sprinted after him. She startled even more as she turned the corner and nearly ran into him. Ben caught her just before they collided and smiled.   
  
"They won't explode."  
  
Rey relaxed a bit.  
  
"I was concerned that the crystal had been shattered, or that it had died under the stress." Again he held up her wrist to gaze at the pieces in her hand. "It's been damaged, but the two halves are still stable, and powerful enough."  
  
Ben turned and began walking again, but Rey was confused.   
  
"Enough for what? Where are we going?"  
  
They had reached the massive doors of the training arena and Ben stopped. "Powerful enough for _your_ saber." And he thrust the door open and strode inside.  
  


* * * * * *  
  
Mala was enjoying herself more than ever, but she kept her elation carefully concealed. All those years as a diplomat had honed her mannerisms to convey dignity and grace under all circumstances. It was likely she was also taking a cue from General Hux. His face wore the same stern expression as always, but she could sense the relief and euphoria he was feeling at finally being able to take on his role as Supreme Leader. Mala felt a swell of pride at his decorum. It was for the best that the new forerunners of the First Order present themselves appropriately even in festive times. They would have the opportunity to celebrate privately later.

She turned her attention to the eighteen students who had joined her. They were being less well behaved, so Mala reached out and snapped control over them, quieting them. She smiled to herself, thinking how badly Snoke had undervalued her. If she had been chosen as his apprentice, he would still be alive and the First Order would already have complete control of the galaxy. Look how easily she and her small team had drawn out Kylo Ren and overwhelmed the Oblivion. It was a shame that she had only been able to procure this small percentage of her classmates. She could easily control more, and there was still the possibility of confrontation.

The Enforcer Moon had gone off line and they had lost contact with the battalions sent to Onderon, so Ren's death was unconfirmed. And at some point, the remaining Knights of Ren and their precious students would be returning to the Finalizer. Mala was fairly sure they would be able to simply incinerate them with a ventral canon when they came out of lightspeed, but she wanted to be prepared for every possibility. Well, let them have one more day of revelry, then they could take an entire fleet to Onderon and make sure Ren was wiped out.

* * * * *

Rey followed Ben into the training arena, a million questions on the tip of her tongue. Ben went directly to the supply room, reemerging moments later with a small staff, about half the size of her own. As he came closer, she saw that it wasn't a staff at all, but a stout piece of metal. It looked as if it had come off another weapon.   
  
"Try this." Ben said, handing her the metal rod.  
  
She didn't have to ask what he meant, she walked over to the much abused sparring dummy and practiced some strikes. It wasn't hard to handle, she never lost her grip, but it was so short, she felt like she had to be on top of the dummy to get a hit in.  
  
"It's too small." She complained. "Even an opponent with a short reach would be able to get the advantage."  
  
"We will modify it. I just wanted to see where your grip landed."   
  
There were few salvageable parts from Luke's lightsaber, so they had to call on Rose to bring them an assortment of components. Rather than evening out, Rose's nervousness at the arrangement seemed to increase. It irritated Rey, she had hoped that the crew would be able make peace with the truce. At the very least, she had hoped her friends would be supportive. 

Rey found that her train of thought was running along the lines of reaching into Rose's thoughts and making her calm. She shivered, where had that idea come from? She had to be more conscientious. Not all the methodology she had learned from Ben was healthy, so she couldn't just react instinctively.   
  
The modifications were laborious work, Ben had to adapt pieces and explained their purpose. It was Rey's job to fit them into the staff. Working with the broken kyber crystal made it even more challenging. Ben's idea was to run the circuit from one crystal to the other and then back to the first. The result would be a double-bladed lightsaber, but both sides would work in conjunction instead of being separate systems, as was usually the case. Ben explained that since the crystal had been a single piece, it would be more stable if the halves were linked and could draw power from one another. There was a lot of trial and error, but between Ben's knowledge and her experience with scavenging parts, they were able to get the new saber assembled. Rey stared at the power switch. She hadn't had much practice with using a lightsaber in general, and none with constructing them. Ben was watching her, no doubt listening to her internal concerns.  
  
"Should I activate it?"  
  
"Are you sure you didn't invert the emitter matrix?"  
  
"Yes." Rey said positively. "That's the _third time_ you've asked me that."  
  
Rey reached for the switch, then paused. "What happens if the matrix _is_ inverted?"  
  
Ben remained serious, but she picked up on the twinkle in his eye. "The power grid would backfire and the blade would short out... or it would explode and kill us."  
  
No point in delaying the inevitable. Rey snapped the switch and two blades lit at the end of the metal rod. There was a slight vibration to the whole apparatus and the blades looked a little rough, much like Ben's, but it worked! Rey let out a pleased little "Ha!" as she appraised her work.  
  
 _"BOOM!"_  
  
Rey jumped in spite of herself.  
  
"KRIFF! BEN!"  
  
Ben was laying back in his chair laughing openly at her. She glared at him and pointed one end of the saber toward him.  
  
"Pull something like that again, and I'm likely to give you another scar!"   
  
Ben stifled his laughter and raised his hands in mock surrender; a teasing smile still pulling at his lips. Rey glared menacingly for another moment then switched off the saber. The second she did, Ben grabbed her around the waist and drew her to him. Rey shrieked and tried to escape, but Ben easily gathered her onto his lap and pulled her into a kiss. Rey relaxed and leaned into him, forgetting for just an instant the direness of their circumstances. They stayed together, letting their nearness calm the emotional commotion stirring within both of them. Ben sighed reluctantly.  
  
"We need to train."  
  
Rey nodded. "Can we eat first?"  
  
Rey was hesitant when first using the new lightsaber. Ben started her out with the sparring dummy so that she could get a feel for the new weapon. She was already adept at using a staff, but the stress of having the two deadly sabers at either end was holding her back. Her attacks were effective, but they were taking too much energy and he could tell her moves were stiff and unnatural. He stopped her before she had finished the routine.  
  
"You have to feel comfortable with this weapon. This is your saber, it must feel like an extension of you."  
  
Rey nodded, panting from the extra exertion. Ben could still feel reluctance, so he beckoned her over and took her hand. He concentrated on his own experience with his lightsaber, focusing on the naturalness of its use rather than specific techniques. Next he reached into Rey's mind and drew on her skill with her staff, then he fused the two.  
  
Ben's touch was so soothing, so distracting. She was supposed to be focused on training, what Ben had just done with their thoughts, pulling from both their minds and tying completely separate experiences together was astounding. But her thoughts were fixating on the way a simple touch always ended with their fingers intertwined, gripping each other tightly. Briefly she wondered if they would ever have an opportunity to focus on their relationship. When this was over, and Hux was defeated, that was exactly what they would do. It was a moment before she realized that the thought came from Ben and not herself. _Ok,_ she thought, _then let's get this over with._  
  
Rey found her center practicing on the sparring dummy, and after getting into a rhythm, shredded it. Ben switched the exercise to training sims. Rey felt temporarily off balance, she was so used to completing these sims with Finn by her side. But she adapted rapidly, using the force to connect to her saber and become united with it. The first two sims she survived, the third she excelled. By the time Ben ended the session, Rey had hit her stride and was making nearly perfect marks, even in the advanced sims. It didn't seem like much time had passed, so Rey was surprised that Ben had interrupted, until he drew his own lightsaber and advanced on her. It had been awhile since they sparred. But Rey sensed that Ben was being intentionally threatening, so she steeled her nerves and stepped up to meet him. There was a remarkable difference between this and their fight on Starkiller Base. Instead of a frantic battle, it was a fluid exchange, a back and forth give and take that again traversed the bounds of a training session. It was late into the night when they finally called it quits and Ben walked Rey to her room, accompanied by his ever present guard.

_See you in the morning._

 

 


	18. The Spark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn stopped and grabbed Ben's arm. 'You're telling me you have been teaching other force users all your trade secrets, and now the three of us are about to go up against a whole gang of them?? Three different plans for overpowering Hux and not one of them mentioned 'death by pack of viscous force using predators!' ' Finn's quirky sarcasm would usually have elicited a chuckle, but the circumstances were dire, and Ben took it gravely. 'I had hoped that my remaining Knights and their students would have arrived by now. But there was nothing I could do to delay the arrival of the Finalizer. Supported or not, we had no choice but to go ahead with this attack.'  
> Finn sniffed irritably. 'If we survive this suicide mission, we are going to have to work on our communication.' Finn turned away and struggled to regain his composure. Ben flexed his hand into a fist then relaxed it. He placed a hand on Finn's shoulder, making an attempt to be reassuring. 'These force users all had a problem working together. They would never trust each other enough to share thoughts and their training is limited. We have advantages, even without superior numbers.'  
> Finn frowned but nodded. 'Let's get this over with.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are indebted to you readers for continuing on this journey with us! Again, hoping this will be as exciting a prospect as any other fan fiction out there... and may the script for Episode IX change in our favor. ;) ;) 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H61hy7irX4M - Never Be the Same by Red  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2O0dFH3ysSY - Unbreakable by James Newton Howard

She slept profoundly that night. The euphoria of building and using the dual saber, the rigorous training, and extensive force use combined into the perfect recipe for a good night's sleep. It helped too that she and Ben opened the force bond so they could stay connected from their separate rooms.

Rey knew she had slept past breakfast, so she was surprised to find a flurry of activity in Ben's conference room. She snuck in quietly and tucked herself into a back corner, hoping no one would notice. The reason for the prolonged meeting was activity from the First Order. Caulder was explaining that even though the Oblivion no longer communicated with the First Order, they could receive some mass communications. The latest was an order to the fleet that accompanied the Finalizer to be ready to re-position around Onderon as soon as Supreme Leader Hux returned from Silbatta. Today was likely to be the last day they would have to prepare for battle. The tension was palpable, it was as if everyone sensed the extreme importance of this one encounter and what its outcome would mean.

The generals -as Ben so titled the Resistance leaders- were reporting in turn on their levels of readiness. Rey was impressed by how organized everything was. Ben had generals in charge of the tie fighters, generals leading the reinforcements sent by Resistance supporters, generals tasked with the Oblivion, and so on. It was a discussion with one of those in charge of the Oblivion that shocked everyone into silence.  
  
Ben asked, "How are the evacuation arrangements progressing?"  
  
"All transports are in good working order and there is sufficient capacity for the entirety of the crew of the Oblivion."  
  
"Good. How soon can they begin departing?"  
  
Before the addressed general could answer, another spoke from the hushed crowd.  
  
"What do you mean, evacuation? We're about to go to war with the FIRST BLOODY ORDER! You don't really mean to send the majority of our combatants away, do you?"  
  
Ben looked into the crowd of bewildered faces.  
  
"When the fleet arrives and finds the Oblivion still functioning, this ship will become their primary target, whether they deduce that I am aboard or not. I only require it to stay functioning long enough to provide cover while we board the Finalizer. Since it is nearly unavoidable that the Oblivion will be destroyed, there is no reason for the majority of this company to be aboard. A crew to run command here, and pilots for the tie fighter force is all that will be required to make our stand in orbit. Those left will use the escape pods the minute we confirm arrival on the Finalizer...” his voice firm and leaving no room for disapproval on the plans.  
  
Caulder was the first to recover, and responded, "Primary Command can run with 6 people. Especially...if we have Rey."  
  
Ben shook his head patiently. "Rey and Finn are with me. We will be boarding the Finalizer as quickly as possible."  
  
"You're stripping the Oblivion of its compliment and relieving us of our only force users?  
  
Fear and despair rose like toxic fumes around them. Ben raised a quieting hand.  
  
"It's more involved than that. For one thing, the body of the Oblivion will be evacuated planetside. Rather than being released from duty, they will occupy base and prepare to subdue the compliment inhabiting the Finalizer, as I intend to cause a mass evacuation there as soon as we board. Rey, Finn, and I will be the most efficient boarding team, and should the worst happen, the greater part of the Resistance will still be alive. We _are_ the ones going up against Hux and the remainder of the Knights. This is the most important time and place to have my strongest team."  
  
They had all been expecting Ben to be more cavalier with Rebel lives, and Rey couldn't help but snicker to herself as amazement replaced their doubt. It reminded her of conversations with Leia, the way she always managed to surprise Rey by being so unpredictable. The familial comparison warmed her through. She was so glad to have gotten to know Leia as much as she did. To be able to see the similarities in her son. There were no more objections after that, and once more detailed instructions had been given, the meeting started to break up. Rey tried to stay, but Ben sent her out, telling her she couldn't come back until she had eaten. She noticed Poe was ahead of her, so she caught up to walk beside him. He seemed preoccupied, but not unfriendly, so Rey took the opportunity to talk with him.  
  
"I wanted to thank you. I know this arrangement wasn't easy for you to accept...working with Ben, but the fact that you've chosen to cooperate... I don't think the others would have agreed if it weren't for you."  
  
Poe stopped mid stride and put a hand over his eyes, rubbing stress away. When he finally looked at Rey, his expression was troubled. "To be honest, most of the time I wish I had fired the moment I saw him. Sometimes I wonder if I still shouldn't try."  
  
Rey was surprised by the vehemence in his voice. She didn't expect him to be thrilled with Ben's presence, but she thought that his participation was evidence that he had at least begrudgingly accepted it.  
  
"Why haven't you then?" Rey couldn't help but ask.  
  
Poe broke the hard stare he had fixed her with and looked to the ground. "Because what the Resistance needs right now is leaders, not heroes." He shook his head just slightly and started on his way without giving Rey another look. She stood looking after him. She didn't understand him, but she could sense that he didn't currently have any plans to betray Ben. In these circumstances, that would have to be enough reason to trust him.

After lunch she rejoined Ben in the conference room. It was just he and Finn, hammering out the details of boarding the Finalizer. Of course, Ben and Finn knew the layout and procedures that would normally be followed during a battle, but they explained the plans in detail for Rey's benefit. In the end, they drew up three plans. They were each to memorize one plan, then the person leading their team would be determined by the circumstances they encountered on the Finalizer. Following the assignments being determined, they went to the training arena to practice working together. It was curiously easy. Once they got past Finn's teasing comments about being the only one without a lightsaber, and adapted to each others communication styles, they were virtually unstoppable. They ran through training sims over and over, taking turns as the leader, using various means of communicating orders. They got proficient at reading each others thoughts, and even Finn was able to transmit more complete ideas instead of just feelings. Ben stopped the session somewhat early, they all needed to be rested, tomorrow would be rigorous without a doubt.

When they all parted for their separate rooms, Rey went to the refresher. She couldn't imagine how she would sleep, but she thought the heat and steam would help. A thought unobtrusively drifted into her head. _I could help you go to sleep._ Rey smiled, but she knew Ben wasn't being humorous. He had literally knocked her unconscious before. _No. Thank you. I'd prefer to have my senses tonight._ She could feel Ben's acceptance. _Of course. Though I can't promise I won't intervene if I feel you becoming too distraught_. He replied. _Yeah, well whose going to help me get to sleep?_ Rey felt her eyes widen. _Finn!! Are you listening in on our conversation?_ There was a ripple of indigence. _Maybe your thoughts are just too loud. There are other people who can pick up on your "force comms"!_ Rey was over being shocked and was now incredulous. _Finn, this is really good. I can hear your thoughts clearly._ Ben conceded. _You've improved just since we finished training._ There came another wave of irritation. _You know, you guys really underestimate my learning ability. You would think with all your natural talent you could..._ Finn's monologue suddenly cut off. _Finn? Finn!_ Rey got concerned that there was no answer, then amusement bubbled around her. _Ben. Did you knock him out?_ She could practically see his grin as he answered. _Well, he did say he wanted help going to sleep_. She couldn't help but join in the humor, there were far too many serious things going on around them.

Once Rey got back to her room and dressed for bed, she opened the force bond. Ben was already on his cot, lying on his back and staring into the ceiling. But as Rey curled into her own bunk he turned on his side to gaze at her. They didn't speak for a long time, just shared a desire that fluctuated between wishing they had more time before the battle, and an eager anticipation for what would come after. She could feel his anxiety and fear of so much more loss. She reached the short distance it seemed to take his hand. “Please don't be afraid. I'm confident the force will be with us. This is too big, too important. Don't take it all on yourself. Please remember to rely on us, our abilities _together.”_ He only nodded. A man of few words. He let her feel his gratitude for her positive influence. And her confidence in him. No one had ever given him such unfathomable trust.

Rey felt it and shared the sentiment. How could two people so different feel so similar? And why even though they were _together_ could there still be such loneliness? She began melting into sleep. Just as she slipped into insensibility she thought she heard Ben's voice, very softly. "Rey, I..." But she couldn't tell if it was real or a dream. Maybe she would remember in the morning.  
  
Ben woke early, but he lingered on the sparse cot, turning to watch Rey fret in her sleep. Of course with such a momentous day, the morning seemed to come too early. Laying there last night he realized he had done all he could with the time available- working as a fluid team with the most unlikely companions, getting the Generals of the Resistance to go along with everything, and a late night confession to Rey. All he could do was hope today goes the way they intended.

It was too short a time before Rey groaned and rubbed at her eyes like a cranky toddler. She blinked up at Ben and beamed. It was his turn to feel his heart flip in his chest. A thought that he hadn't dared to consider blossomed inside him. So much to lose. I have so... WE have so much to lose now. It shook him, and he had to push the thought away. There was no room for fear of loss today. He gave Rey a reassuring smile. “Good morning.” She nuzzled into his arm and sighed. “I'm surprised I slept so well. Did you knock me out after all?” she chuckled. He gave her a quick squeeze and said “You'll never know.”

She smiled and turned to him. “I'm ready to get this day over with already.” He agreed with a reassuring nod, a chaste kiss, then closed the bond so they could dress. Rey met him in the hall not long before they reached the conference room. Ben was pleased with the unity they portrayed entering side by side. Of course the depiction was broken when Finn arrived, marched up to Ben with narrowed eyes and stuck a finger at him.  
  
"Not cool, man."  
  
Then he turned up his nose and stormed over to the simple breakfast of kaf and rolls the droids delivered to the room. If their circumstances hadn't been so grave, Ben would have rolled with laughter. But as it was, he simply regarded Finn with a bemused expression and then turned his attention to his holo pad. There was a short meeting with the generals, and then Caulder set up a ship wide broadcast and a link to the newly established base at Onderon so that Ben could address the entire crew. Ben felt an edge of nerves. The "inspirational" speeches had almost always been left up to Hux, and he had the benefit of speaking to a devoted audience. Ben had little experience with public discourses and his assemblage was borderline hostile. Still, he felt it was necessary to speak to this crew, to impress upon them the paramount importance of this one battle.  
  
"People of the Resistance, hard times have fallen upon you. The First Order has obliterated The Republic, robbed you of your leaders and all but destroyed you. The appointment of general Hux to Supreme Leader will surely be your doom and a detriment to the entire galaxy. But even in these dark times, there is still a chance, however slim. As long as you remember what you are trying to accomplish, as long as you believe in a better future for our galaxy, then, no matter how faint it has become, that fiery hope within you will not be extinguished. Your entire Rebellion has been built on the meagerist of prospects, the longest of shots, and the most desperate of plans. And on each of these hazardous occasions, you have managed to accomplish the unthinkable. You have gotten the better of the First Order. You have survived every attempt to exterminate you, and succeeded in reaching unfathomable goals, in the face of a staggeringly superior enemy. Today, I am asking you to do it one more time. Believe in the impossible. Follow the advice of the most inconceivable leader. Reach out for the preposterous hope that this battle could end the war indefinitely. May the force be with you."

Ben nodded to Caulder and the transmission was cut off. There was no rousing round of applause, but the people's hearts had been touched. There was a surge of confidence from the crew, and Ben knew he had done the right thing. And now there was just the counting of minutes until the First Order fleet arrived.  
  
Rey was having trouble focusing on her strategy. Simply waiting was making her twitchy. Finn was leaning back in his chair, looking relaxed, but Rey could tell that he was running through the details of their plan just as she should be doing. Ben was the picture of patience. He already had his plan in mind and was just waiting for a comm from Poe to tell him that their tie fighters were ready. Rey found herself staring at his back, contemplating the lines of his body. Sighing, she tore her eyes from Ben and planted them firmly on the holo in front of her. She couldn't get distracted, she wouldn't let Ben down. He had made provisions for the Resistance, but this fight meant his life.

She remembered her training and reached out with the force, letting the plan take shape, feeling the distances they would have to cover in the ship, places where the stormtroopers would lie in wait, hatches to be opened, and levels to be traversed. The image seemed to shift, and rather than guiding her imagination, it was as if she were watching it happen. Landing their tie fighters and incapacitating the deck crew went flawlessly. They were able to transverse two levels before the alarm was sounded and troops began pouring in. Still there was little resistance. Ben could easily push through the ranks himself, but the three of them working together completely outclassed the blaster jockeys. They made progress and were en route to the Command deck when an unexpected blow was struck. A group of seven individuals descended upon them like shadows. Rey hadn't sensed them and they were instantly surrounded. Four in front of them, three behind, and they were all force users. They were strong and brandishing weapons Rey had never seen. Rey and Ben had an advantage with their lightsabers, but Finn sustained an injury that would likely cost him his life and they were forced to retreat as more combatants swarmed around them. The vision cut off as she felt a hand on her shoulder. Rey looked up, confused to see Ben standing over her. He had a knowing look on his face and seemed about to ask, but the comm from Poe came in.  
  
"The tie fighters are ready, you should probably get down here."  
  
Ben's eyes lost focus for a moment, then he looked at Rey and extended a hand. "We should go, there isn't much time left before they arrive."  
  
Finn popped out of his seat as well and they all made their way to the bay. Most of the crew that was left on board was gathered there readying for the fight. Poe was reminding everyone that the Resistance tie fighters were tagged, and they would show up as green on the targeting systems. Once he was sure everyone knew not to fire on green, he dismissed them to suit up and enplane. As they made their way over to Poe, a voice squeaked behind them.  
  
"Finn! What are you doing here??"  
  
They all turned to see Rose in a jumpsuit, holding a helmet. Finn looked confused for a moment, then answered. "I... we are the Finalizer Strike Force. We're taking tie fighters to board undetected. What are you doing here?"  
  
"They needed pilots... so I volunteered. Finn, how are you going to get there? There's only enough room in a tie fighter for the pilot and you don't know how to fly!"  
  
"Oh that." Finn smiled and waved a dismissive hand. "I'll just use the force." Rose looked shocked and Finn turned to go. She quickly replied... "THAT'S NOT HOW THE FORCE WORKS!"  
  
"You'd be surprised!" Finn called over his shoulder.  
  
The entire bay was boarded and initializing systems when Caulder gave them the news that the first ships in the fleet had dropped out of lightspeed.  
  
Ben commed him back. "Give the signal as soon as the Finalizer arrives. Remember to stay out of range and just provide what cover you can for the fighter pilots. You were brave to take this assignment, but the distraction is all that is needed. As soon as the Finalizer moves to overtake you, abandon ship in the escape pods."  
  
Caulder replied unhesitatingly. "Yes, Supreme Leader, and may the force be with you!"  
  
Finn chuckled. "He's always wanted to say that."  
  
The signal sounded and the bay doors opened.  
  
There were six ships in the fleet. The Finalizer as the flag ship, surrounded by gunships. It made sense, Hux was planning on razing the planet to find him, he had not considered the possibility of an altercation above atmosphere. The gunships would still be formidable, but the majority of the fighting would be done by tie fighters and the two ships that had arrived from those who still supported the Resistance. As the Rebel fighters poured out of the Oblivion, the weapons systems on the Finalizer charged and targeted it. Caulder had done an admirable job of placing the Oblivion, the barrage hit but didn't break through the shields. Tie fighters poured out to meet them and gunships advanced on the Oblivion. They were faster than the Star Destroyer and would be able to inflict heavy damage when they reached it. Caulder and his team were not sitting idly. Oblivion had charged her weapons as well. She picked off a few tie fighters then focused on the gunships. The gunships could out maneuver the cannons but the discharges impeded their progress. The fight between the tie fighters would have been evenly matched except only the Resistance could identify which were enemy ships. The effect was that more First Order ships were being destroyed because they were firing on each other as well as the Resistance. The Finalizer poured out more tie fighters, and Finn's voice came across the comm.  
  
"The auxiliary bay is open! If we enter there we're less likely to be detected."  
  
Ben answered, "It will change our plan of attack, we won't be as prepared."  
  
"Good thing you have a Sanitation Worker with you who's familiar with the lesser decks."  
  
Ben made a split second decision. "Rey, follow us in. We are entering the auxiliary instead of the main bay."  
  
They heard her reply _I'm right behind you._ This reminded them that from here on out their communication needed to be internal.

The bay was virtually empty. As they made their approach, Ben scanned the lifeforms within and rendered them unconscious. Once they were out of the tie fighters, they reached out again, working in conjunction. Ben was sure he could have sensed the whole ship on his own, but he was amazed at the clarity and speed at which they were able to detect their surroundings through their connection. It was like being able to see everything in a holo image. There was depth to what he sensed as well. Each of them picked up on a different aspect of the surroundings. It was nearly overwhelming, the influx of information, so they concentrated on the level they were on and the best path for advancing.

They made it up two levels before the alarm sounded. It wasn't a surprise, they knew they were on borrowed time when they left the first crew members unconscious, and they had been doing that to everyone they encountered since leaving the auxiliary bay. Now security would be watching their every move. They would have to take down the system. They stopped at a defensible position and Rey focused on the monitoring system. It wasn't as hard as she thought it might be, she had gotten used to the structuring when she worked in command. She traced the circuitry and found the hub of the operation, then she burned the whole thing. The Finalizer was now blind to them. Which was good because stormtroopers were filling the halls around them.  
  
Finn called to her. _Rey, we need to move._  
  
_It's fine, I'm finished._  
  
They circled around, keeping toward the less occupied areas of the ship. They were working their way toward the engine rooms. Setting off an alarm or issuing an alert to evacuate would be easy, but it would quickly be overridden and would have barely any effect. They needed to cripple the ship badly. Much to Finn's disappointment, it took some firefights with the stormtroopers. They incapacitated as many as they could, but they needed to subdue them before they could report their location, and that lead to deaths. Rey could feel Finn shifting his perspective, trying to see the troopers as a general enemy rather than recognizing former comrades as individuals. Still, by the time they reached the engine room, Finn was grieving.

Before attacking the engines, Ben focused his attention on subspace communication. He shredded the system, assuring that the Finalizer would not be able to call for backup. He even caused a power surge that would prevent them from communicating with the gunships. They now opened the panels to the engines then stood back and braced. They had each brought two sonic pistols from the Oblivion's weapons room and they aimed all of them directly into the engines. The force they let off was astounding. The sonic waves hit the engines like sledge hammers smashing through glass windows. The whole ship rocked from the impacts. Safety protocols kicked in and shut down the engines so that they wouldn't explode. Warnings blared shipwide. The Finalizer was a dead stick, and no help was coming. Ben looked at Finn and Rey, raised his hand a snapped his fingers. Instantly red emergency lights blazed to life and the evacuation order rang out. Shared smiles were the only celebration for accomplishing their first objective.

They quickly vacated the engine room and progressed through the ship toward their next purpose. They needed to find Hux and confront him directly. They made good time, there were far less people to encounter since the evacuation order, and the troops that stayed on board were still occupied looking for them on the engine room level of the ship.

They were advancing down a hall toward an intersection when Rey froze. _No!_ She called out into their connection. Ben and Finn turned to her. _Not this way,_ she thought.

Finn tried to persuade her. _This is the only way to Command_.

Rey shook her head fervently. _No, I saw this... before we came, it's some kind of trap. I can sense it. There's someone, or more than one hiding themselves_.

Finn looked at Ben, and he nodded in agreement. _She's right. They are keeping their presence as quiet as possible, hoping we will rush in without noticing. In fact..._ Ben looked off into the distance. _Hux isn't even in Command. We have to go back._ Finn stressed. _Are we sure he didn't take an escape pod?_

Ben was confident. _Hux will not abandon ship. Now that he knows I'm here, he's looking forward to confronting me in battle and he wants to kill me himself._

They hustled back down the way they had come and headed in a new direction. Finn was feeling apprehensive about all the changes to the plan. _How can Hux hope to face you? I get that the guy is overconfident, but he doesn't have the force!_

Ben's reply was full of regret. _Hux and Mala corrupted several of my students. They are working together to destroy me and advance the First Order's original agenda._

Finn stopped and grabbed Ben's arm. _You're telling me you have been teaching other force users all your trade secrets, and now the three of us are about to go up against a whole gang of them?? Three different plans for overpowering Hux and not one of them mentioned 'death by pack of viscous force using predators!'_ Finn's quirky sarcasm would usually have elicited a chuckle, but the circumstances were dire, and Ben took it gravely. _I had hoped that my remaining Knights and their students would have arrived by now. But there was nothing I could do to delay the arrival of the Finalizer. Supported or not, we had no choice but to go ahead with this attack._

Finn sniffed irritably. _If we survive this suicide mission, we are going to have to work on our communication._ Finn turned away and struggled to regain his composure. Ben flexed his hand into a fist then relaxed it. He placed a hand on Finn's shoulder, making an attempt to be reassuring. _These force users all had a problem working together. They would never trust each other enough to share thoughts and their training is limited. We have advantages, even without superior numbers._

Finn frowned but nodded. _Let's get this over with._  
  
Mala, Hux, Tal and four of the students she had claimed stood in the conveyer. They left Command after it was confirmed that Kylo Ren was on board and heading that way. Mala left a team of students lying in wait, while they moved to the vast chamber located deeper within the ship that would soon be Supreme Leader Hux's throne room. It was not a retreat, but a calculated move. This was a possibility that Mala had planned forever since they lost contact with the battalions at the surface of Onderon. She had known there was a possibility that Ren survived the onslaught, albeit slim. The hope had been that if the stormtroopers failed to kill him, perhaps the beasts of the forest or the baited Resistance fighters would be able to finish the job. Somehow, though, Ren managed to slip through all obstacles and survive. Just as well, Mala thought. Since slitting Leia's throat, Hux had been thirsting for more enemy blood, and butchering Ren would be ecstasy for him. The only real surprise they encountered so far was the survival of the Oblivion. Mala set those charges herself. The ship should have been obliterated minutes after her transport had jumped to lightspeed. That idiot Tal missed something. Some of the crew had to have been conscious to disarm the bombs. Of all the plants that could have been active in the Resistance, it had to be this slimy secret monger. He wasn't even that talented with using the force, or he would have sensed those who were still alert. This long in the field, he should have been at the height of his ability, but he was lazy and overconfident. Mala had long suspected that Supreme Leader Snoke chose him more for his willingness to do anything, no matter how morally reprehensible, rather than his strength with the force.

The louse was in his glory at the moment, wriggling like a wokling and jabbering nonstop. It was grating on Mala's already strained nerves, it was taking a considerable amount of effort on her part to keep their movements obscured, and to control her students. Her breaking point came when Tal turned his attention to her. With a leering eye, he made a lewd suggestion about how the two of them could pass the time, and ran a hand all the way down her side. Hux's temper flared as her skin crawled beneath his clammy touch.

Mala pressed the button in her palm, ejecting the blade from her elbow into Tal's side. With a quick jerk she disemboweled him and watched as he dropped, gasping to the floor, hopelessly clutching at his severed abdomen. The conveyor came to a halt and Hux gave Mala a look of mock chastisement as he stepped over Tal's still writhing body.  
  
"He would have been useless in the fight anyway." Mala said as she followed him.

Ben was having trouble sensing Hux. It was as if the man was moving in and out if shadows. Those subversive students were indeed strong with the force if they could conceal Hux even from him. It didn't matter. He understood well enough where they were going. This ship held a chamber similar to the one Snoke occupied on the Supremacy. Hux undoubtedly meant to emulate Snoke, making himself a lofty throne room. He was going there now, he wanted to confront Ben from the seat of his power. It wasn't simply arrogance that fueled the choice, the room was vast and could easily house several companies. Ben had no doubt that Hux had ordered the stormtroopers to stay on board despite the evacuation order. He was correct, the opposition started before they reached the throne room. The halls were filled with stormtroopers, sporting more than just blasters.

Finn was the first to act, pulling out the sonic pistols and firing directly on the troopers. The first two rows were knocked unconscious and dropped to the floor, most with cracked armor. Ben and Rey started to push the fallen aside, clearing a path for them to advance. The remaining troopers were not idle. Those still conscious dropped to their knees and opened fire. Ben and Rey deflected the shots while Finn sent another tooth-rattling blast through the masses. This time the unaffected troopers pulled back to an intersection in the hall and took cover. The sonic pistol wouldn't be able to reach them but their numbers were more manageable now.

Ben and Rey advanced, one to the left and one to the right, while Finn watched their backs and deflected any blasts that came their way. With their sabers, they made short work of the remaining troopers. Finn stayed in the main hall while they exterminated the rest of the company. When the last one fell, they all moved toward the entrance to Hux's chamber. That was when a new kind of attack came. Four of Ben's former students melted from their surroundings and struck. Ben understood immediately why he had not noticed their presence before. They hadn't just been keeping their proximity quiet, they literally disguised their energies as stormtroopers.

Ben cursed to himself- he had to remember that the students were former spies, and very good at what they did. He confronted two of them at once, going on the offensive so that he could push them away from Rey and Finn, who were fighting the other two in conjunction. Ben found himself breaking a sweat, in spite of having a lightsaber. They were good students, but not a team. They were attacking him at intervals instead of in unison. Once he had pressured them a good distance from his companions, he looked for an opportunity. Finding it, he repelled one attack, spun around his other opponent, then fell to his knees and hamstrung her. When she dropped to the floor, her partner didn't even give her a second look. He continued his assault unconcernedly. It didn't take Ben long to finish him, then end his suffering associate.

Ben turned to Finn and Rey. Their training together had given them skill, but they were only keeping the aggressive students at bay, not defeating them. Ben hurried back to help, but before he could reach them the larger of the two students landed a blow that nearly knocked Rey unconscious. She lost hold on her saber, and stumbled back. Her assailant tried to cut her down, but she caught his blade in her hand, splitting her palm. The pain snapped her back to full alertness and she shoved him against the wall with the force. Calling her staff back to her, she activated the beam and slit him from the palm of his splayed hand to the opposite hip, nearly cutting him completely in half. Finn had been distracted by Rey's excruciating injury and had unwisely turned slightly away from his opponent. The wiry student had taken the opportunity to shove a vibroblade into his shoulder. Finn roared and swiveled away enough to point one of the sonic pistols at his enemy and slam him to the ground with the discharge. Straightening, he flicked his fingers and tossed the stunned man to the ceiling then dropped him to the floor. He did this two more times before leaving him sprawled in the causeway, where he lay unmoving. Ben and Rey stood gaping at his unusual display of ferocity. Finn turned to them.  
  
"I'M GETTING REALLY SICK OF BEING STABBED IN THE BACK!"  
  
It was the first thing any of them had spoken aloud since boarding the Finalizer, and no one begrudged him the comment. They could feel the torturous pain Finn was enduring. He took a wobbly step and Rey caught him before he could fall. Ben peeled away Finn's jacket and shirt to examine the wound. What would have been a grueling injury was made worse by the tearing of the vibroblade, and it was deep. The upside- if there was an upside- was that it had been a glancing blow, Finn was cut rather than punctured. But he was losing a lot of blood. Ben explained, aloud, the situation.  
  
"Why don't you quit being delicate and figure out what we can do to fix this." Finn replied through gritted teeth.  
  
Ben glanced at Rey, who was starting to tremble.  
  
"Do you trust me?" Ben asked quietly.  
  
"I've trusted you this far. But ask me again after whatever horrible thing you are about to do to me, and my answer might be different." Finn replied.  
  
Ben's lips twitched in the barest of amusement, then he quickly sobered. Taking out his lightsaber, he ignited it then ran the tip of a side vent down the ragged flesh on Finn's back.  
  
Finn's agonizing screams and the smell of burning flesh were almost more than she could take, but she held him tight, letting silent tears slip down her cheeks until Ben finished cauterizing the gash. While Finn groaned and panted, still trying to overcome the misery, Ben produced a roll of a tape like substance from his pocket. Peeling a strip away from the whole, he laid it on Finn's shoulder, just next to his wound. Finn stiffened at the touch, but then some of the pain drained from his eyes and he drew a deeper breath.  
  
"W-What is that?"  
  
"It's tape, but its been laced with worrt venom, which will temporarily paralyze your nerves and control the pain. Rey, let me tape your hand as well." She could feel his worry flare thinking about her wound. _Do you feel well enough to continue on? I will not let you advance if you feel you're too hurt and can't focus.._  
  
Rey had forgotten entirely about her own injury, but the mention of it caused the stinging pain to come flooding back. _I'm okay I promise. I know you're worried but I can handle it. I need to finish this. I'm with you._ Ben nodded at her and carefully dressed the wound so that she would still be able to use her hand without reopening the slit. As soon as their lacerations were patched, they rose and marched unitedly through the door to the throne room.  
  
The odds were staggeringly overwhelming. Mala had four force users by her side and another ten coming up through the ship behind them to cut off their escape. Between them was a myriad of stormtroopers, eager to blast them into the ground. Rey could sense Mala's power, she was rife with the dark side, but she was unbalanced. Her growth in learning the ways of the force was like Lanax vines traveling up a pole. From a distance they appeared straight, but a closer look showed they were gnarled, twisting around and on top of each other to their own detriment. If they could just survive long enough to get to her, the three of them could... Hux was just ordering his stormtroopers to fire on them, when a tremendous crash sounded and the entire ship rocked unsteadily. Some of the troops were thrown from their feet. Hux called to command for a report, and Rey looked at Ben, confused. This wasn't part of the plan, all the Resistance fighters should have been planetside by now.  
  
_What was that?_  
  
Ben's face brightened just a little. . . _Reinforcements._  
  
While the ranks were still recovering from the blow and before Hux could realize that he hadn't finished ordering the attack, Ben, Rey and Finn swung into action. They hit the ranks of stormtroopers head on, taking advantage of their confusion to cut through the first two lines with little resistance. The remaining troopers opened fire as seven of Mala's poached student's came in from behind them, and Ben called out the orders.  
  
_You two focus on the stormtroopers, I'll take care of the students._  
  
Finn was quick to agree, but Rey worried.  
  
_There's seven of them, Ben, how are you going to stop all of them_?  
  
_Trust me..._  
  
It was the only reply she got before Ben focused on the fight and engaged his first combatant. Rey was redirecting blaster fire while Finn was using his sonic pistols again to keep the ranks disrupted. The First Order trained its troops to work in symmetry, so keeping them in disorder was slowing their reaction time, allowing them to make headway. Another explosion went off somewhere in the ship. Hux was screaming unintelligibly into his communicator, but Rey didn't have to hear what he was saying to know what was happening. She could feel the influx of force users pouring into the ship. The Knights of Ren and the students still loyal to Ben had arrived.

 

 


	19. The Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux stalked over to Ben and upon reaching the spot where he lay, the first thing he did was kick Ben's injured leg. The pain was nearly unendurable. Black spots danced in his vision, and he felt his connection to Rey slipping away. She must have felt it too, because she called his name, razor sharp fear edging her voice. He struggled to stay alert, Hux's voice fading in and out like a bad comm connection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delay. Things have been a little... crazy is not the word for it. I tell you, if you're not careful, you can get very wrapped up in this site, in your story, in your editing, in your fandom... to the point where I think, I THINK... you may even find circumstances to change your life in such a way to make it actually happen. That is out of the realm of sanity. Don't do it. Don't get too wrapped up in fantasy. Stay grounded people. But still try to enjoy some reading. Here is the final chapter, with chapter 20 being the Epilogue.  
> Please enjoy, and please comment with any thoughts. 
> 
> I will have to update with the songs that go along. I can't find my notebook right now. :) Oh well! It's not like any of you listened to them anyway right?? Hahahhaa, just be honest.

If Mala's rage could have been classified as a color, it would have been purple. She'd gone beyond the shades of pink and red and progressed into the color of something strangled. When the horrible little threesome had unexpectedly destroyed the engines and distracted the crew, she was irritated. When they slithered around the trap outside of command, she was angered. The loss of the first team to actually confront Ren had been infuriating. But now, with the arrival of those loathsome Knights and their doting little pupils, she was completely sickened. She had stayed detached from the fight so that she could direct her students and protect her beloved Hux, but now the situation called for her direct intervention. She sent all remaining troops to intercept the Knights and their apprentices, and almost all of her students. She kept one, a beast of a man who, though he wasn't fond of it, was easily controlled and who had fashioned a remarkable weapon that was both barbaric and technologically advanced. The wave of bodies crashing down on the newcomers would be enough to inundate them before they could progress, giving her time to cut the head off of this nauseating conglomeration. 

"Kill the girl, then the other will be easy to finish off." She told the brute, while she went directly to Kylo Ren. 

The battle had taken a strange turn. Just as aid had arrived that would turn this perilous battle in their favor, the enemy had all but vanished. Finn had an idea he was mentally laying out for Rey, they were going to sonic blast the stormtroopers until the pistols gave out, then together they would "force shove" (Finn's exact words) as many troops out into the passages as possible, then seal the doors and burn the entrance pads. He was going to take over deflecting blasters while Rey tunneled into the system, then suddenly, the stormtroopers disengaged and hurried through the doors themselves. Those attacking Ben stopped and robotically turned and rushed from the room. It was literally just the three of them, Mala, Hux and one giant force sensitive body guard.

Finn and Rey looked at each other, perplexed. They didn't have time to wonder, Mala was advancing on Ben and her bodyguard was thundering down on them, his focus on Rey. Finn saw immediately where his attention lay, and threw himself at the adversary first. He drained the remaining power cell in his sonic pistol, but it merely slowed the beast's progress. Finn dropped the pistol and pulled a Z6 from a fallen stormtrooper. He made contact just as the monster bore down on him. The effect was limited, the baton did not render his foe unconscious, but it did deliver a hard strike that the ogre felt. Rey didn't watch helplessly. Once Finn had the fiend's attention, she stalked Hux. He seemed fixated on the duel between Ben and Mala, so Rey tried to get around behind him. Just as she started to draw close, Hux pressed a button without ever taking his eyes off Mala, and a door behind him slid open. Eight individuals clad entirely in red armor, marched in and encompassed Hux, his newly appointed Praetorian Guard.

Rey kept her distance and circled the guard, looking for a weakness, trying to remember how she had defeated Snoke's guard. She knew she had to be careful, strike and retreat, see if she could draw one or two of them away from the group. A sudden cry interrupted her thoughts. Finn had been handling the giant well, he was quick enough to stay out of the man's reach and landed some decent hits with the riot baton. But the oaf got tired of taking hits. Absorbing a painful shock, he snatched the baton from Finn and crushed it, then swung his horrible mace right at Finn's head. Finn had to drop all the way to the floor to avoid being crushed by it, and his adversary advanced, trying to trample him under foot. Finn scrambled away but he was backed into a corner with no way around his enemy. Rey abandoned the guard and took a running step toward Finn, but she knew she wouldn't make it. Against all instinct she forced herself to stop and instead she reached out her hand. The brute froze. He strained against her hold, his anger at being controlled building into a raging furnace. As she watched, he was able to raise his arm just a bit from where she held it. Rey was sweating, struggling to keep him in place. If he was able to move enough to swing... but he didn't need to swing, he moved his grip just enough to press a button on the handle, which sent the spines of the mace flying into Finn's face. 

Most of the barbs missed. One, however, found its mark and dug itself into his left eye. Finn howled as blood cascaded from the wound, and the horror destroyed Rey's concentration. She lost her tenuous hold on Finn's opponent. The lout roared in triumph and brought the handle of his disturbing weapon crashing down on Finn, where it delivered a devastating shock. The creature held the handle down on Finn to make sure the shock would be death dealing. His mistake was forgetting his objective. Mala had told him to kill Rey, and the moment she lost her hold on him, she started running. Before he could finish the execution, Rey separated his arm from his body at the elbow. She then flung the entirety of him across the room with such force it knocked one of the guards to the ground. 

"Get away from him, you animal!" Rey growled. 

The beast of a man stepped toward her, then reached out with the arm that was still whole and snatched another riot control baton. Activating the device, he jammed the stump of his arm against it and bellowed as it staunched the flow of blood. Now he came after Rey with the very same baton, murder shining in his eyes.

Mala had engaged Ben directly, using a vibrosword fitted with a cortosis-weave that allowed it to counter the strikes of his lightsaber. Surprisingly, she hadn't immediately attacked to kill. At first, Ben thought she was simply testing him out, getting the feel for an unknown adversary's movements, looking for tells, weakness and repetition. But he began to suspect there was more to it than that. It was likely that she meant to wound him or incapacitate him and then hand him over to Hux. Broadcasting his death at Hux's hand would solidify his position as Supreme Leader in the eyes of every system in the galaxy. There would be no force left that could contend with him. Ben concentrated on identifying her fighting style and patterns, while trying to block out her running discourse. She was trying to direct his mind toward fear, blathering on about Rey and Finn. She couldn't penetrate his mind, but she was trying to weave the suggestion of a terrifyingly cruel death for the two of them, all while he was powerless to stop it. It was an old trick, but an exceedingly effective one. One that wouldn't work on Ben, because she didn't know how connected the three of them were, or that he had already protected Rey, by entrusting her safe keeping to Finn. Mala was a patriot for the First Order, she thought the only way to achieve unity and success was through absolute control. She would never understand that those things can only be attained by letting go. 

Ben watched Mala's attacks carefully. She was amazingly graceful, and her strikes were lightning fast. But her time and training had been as a diplomat, not as a fighter. She was tiring, and her footwork was suffering. Ben saw his chance. He faked a strike and used the momentum of her parry to push her off balance. She caught herself before slamming to the floor, but Ben came at her hard and knocked the vibrosword from her hand. His next thrust would have ended her, but she forced her bodyguard between them and Ben's saber went through the brute's hip and out his side. Ben felt a frenzied rage spilling from the man. He was seething with hatred, not for Ben, but for the one who had controlled him, pushing him into fights that were tearing him limb from limb. The monstrosity dropped to his knees and fell toward Ben, who had to side step out of the way. Just as he did, he felt the razor sharp shaft of Mala's arm cuff dagger flaying open his leg from the middle of his hamstring through his knee and down the whole of his calf. He dropped helplessly, next to the giant who was still clinging to life and anger. Mala rolled up from the floor and reclaimed her vibrosword. Approaching Ben, she clearly had intent.

"Enough! This ends now!" 

Ben put out his hand and froze her in place just before she could bring down the kill stroke. But his injury had left him hobbled, and he was unable to fight back. Rey vaulted between them before Mala could break free. Mala smiled as she pulled herself from Ben's weakening hold. 

Mala sneered, "Aw, honey. I just sliced your master into pieces. You don't really think you have a chance, do you?" 

A thousand comebacks raced through Rey's mind, many of them sounding a lot like Finn, but she didn't give in to the taunt. Instead she steadied herself, smirked and raised a beckoning hand to Mala. Mala was decidedly less composed. Her lips dropped and her eyes narrowed and she hurled herself at Rey with less grace and more fury. Rey could feel Ben swallowing down his pain so he could help her stay balanced. _'You don't... have to attack... just block her blows...Try to slowly turn her...so...so her back is to me. I still have my lightsaber...if she just gets close enough... '_ It was a simple enough plan, but Hux had noticed that Ben was crippled, and he couldn't resist the opportunity to dominate his most hated enemy. Hux and his guard marched past Rey and Mala and descended on Ben. 

Hux stalked over to Ben and upon reaching the spot where he lay, the first thing he did was kick Ben's injured leg. The pain was nearly unendurable. Black spots danced in his vision, and he felt his connection to Rey slipping away. She must have felt it too, because she called his name, razor sharp fear edging her voice. He struggled to stay alert, Hux's voice fading in and out like a bad comm connection. 

"...only yourself to blame... acting like a politician... garnering favor... no one believed you could lead..."

There was too much darkness here, Ben realized. He pulled hard from the light side of the force, and felt his head clear. He wasn't seeing spots anymore and he could hear what Hux was saying again.

"Did you really think you could reduce the First Order to some halcyon federation? We are a Military State! Destined for conquest and autocracy! I will die before I see it altered!"

Hux landed a few more kicks to Ben's ribs then took hold of his hair and dragged him across the floor, tossing him against the wall. Hux bent over Ben, scornfully chastising him.

"Pathetic. You were never worthy of this office. Here and now I will finish you and together Mala and I will restore the First Order to it's original purpose and glory!"

Hux drew a dagger from his belt that Ben recognized from the broadcast when Hux killed his mother. A deep seated misery threatened to engulf him, but Ben fought it back. There was one last chance to make things right, even if he didn't survive.

Rey hadn't found it difficult to keep Mala at bay. She didn't have the physical endurance Rey did and she had lost her hold on her emotions. But things changed when Hux began assaulting Ben. When he kicked that grisly wound, Ben nearly blacked out, and Rey had called aloud to him in a panic. Mala's eyes glinted with sudden understanding, and she purred revoltingly, "Ooooohhhhh, he's not just your master, is he?"

Rey's eye twitched, but she said nothing.

Mala smiled nastily, "In that case I'll just cut you and let you live long enough to watch us destroy him."

There it is again, the monologue of all wicked murderers. Their flare for drama and pride over their disgusting deeds always gives enough time to come up with a way of defeating them. Rey felt like her ears were ringing. Images of those they had already lost, the deaths she had been forced to witness, flashed through her mind. She wouldn't add Ben's death to the count. With sudden ferocity, Rey smacked Mala in the face with the handle of her saber. Mala clutched her nose and staggered back. Rey came down on her mercilessly, cutting painful slits in her limbs and forcing her back. Mala took a wild swipe at her, and Rey sliced through the hand that held her vibrosword. She dropped the sword and stumbled away, tripping over her bodyguard who still lay on the floor. Before she could recover, the brute wrapped his remaining arm around her neck and squeezed. 

Hux had just called to Mala to be at his side when he butchered Ben. When he received no answer, he finally took his eyes off of his prize to see her flailing helplessly in the grip of that beastly man's arm. Forgetting Ben, Hux and his guard rushed to help her, and Rey raced to Ben. Before they could reach him, the bodyguard yanked hard and an unmistakable pop sounded through the chamber as Mala's neck snapped.

Ben was pale and shaking, trying to stave off shock. Rey pulled his head into her lap and held him. _'Rey, there's still a chance...'_ It was a relief to feel Ben's voice in her head, but it was weak. She knew they didn't have much time. But Ben wouldn't want her to give in to grief while Hux was still a threat. _'Alright. Let's finish this.'_ Ben pictured what he wanted to do, and together they focused all their remaining energy. Hux disentangled Mala's limp form from the the giant bodyguard's hold while his guard made sure the man would never move again. There was no hope for her, Mala had been dead before he reached her, and Hux's sorrow quickly turned to burning outrage. Turning to his guard he pointed to Rey and Ben and screamed, **"SLAUGHTER THEM!"**

'Too late.' Rey thought, as the remaining fragments of the Oblivion came raining down on them in an explosive shower. Hux and his guards were sliced to pieces by the smaller meteors and crushed into the ground by the larger ones. Ben slumped into unconsciousness, having used the very last of his strength to draw the wreckage to them. Emergency systems were struggling to prevent the room from being engulfed in vacuum, but the damage to the Finalizer was massive. The emergency system started to seal off the room. 'No!' Rey thought. She reached out and stilled the door nearest to them. Her focus on holding the door, she bodily dragged Ben from the chamber. Once on the other side, she stood and closed her eyes. Just like Crait, she told herself. With one hand raised above her head to hold the door, she extended the other out to the room and gently pulled Finn toward the exit. It took time, fighting against the increasing vacuum and avoiding the flying debris, but she brought him safely through the exit.

Dropping the door, she collapsed on the floor next to Ben and Finn. Now despair wrapped around her throat. The Finalizer was going down, and they were far from the docking bay. Even if she had some way to transport them, it was unlikely that there was a ship left that could accommodate all three of them. Despondency was taking over, and she lost the battle with her tears. She looked at Finn, still alive but so far away; then at Ben, pale, bleeding out. His energy flickering like the flame of a candle. In spite of the blaring of alarms and the roar of the destruction engulfing the ship, it was so quiet without their voices in her mind...

A sudden presence broke through her misery, and Rey turned to see two menacing figures dressed in black from head to toe, masks shrouding their faces. One of the figures stepped toward them and Rey sprang up, igniting her saber and crouching protectively over Ben and Finn. 

"Wait!" 

The figure cried, extending a staying hand. Kneeling, he removed his helmet. The face of a sandy haired man around the same age as Ben appeared from beneath it. 

"We are here to help!" His eyes fell to Ben. "How long has he had these injuries?" 

Rey was speechless. She could feel the sincere concern these individuals had for Ben's wellbeing. Slowly, understanding dawned on her, these were the Knights of Ren. They were loyal to Ben! Snapping out of her shock, Rey extinguished her saber. 

"It's been some time, he's lost a lot of blood." Both Knights now approached, the other removing his helmet as well. Together they did what they could to dress Ben's wound. Rey could barely stand to watch, the gash was as horrific as it was extensive. When they had secured his leg as well as possible, they turned to Rey. 

"We need to get off this ship. Can you handle him on your own? We will care for Lord Ren." 

Rey nodded and focused her attention on raising Finn from the floor. The Knights set a rigorous pace and Rey struggled to follow, making sure she kept Finn safe. She was feeling strained, the staggering events of the day had left her threadbare. 

One of the Knights called over his shoulder. 

"Hold on, we’re nearly there."

Rey blinked, she must have been broadcasting her weariness. They made a turn down the last passage that led directly to the docking bay, and found it blocked. The leading Knight reached out, trying to clear the cave-in, but the other put a hand on his shoulder. 

"Don't. The docking bay is gone. It's already sheared off and fallen into the atmosphere. We will have to try for escape pods." 

Rey's hope liquefied and drained away. "No, they’re gone. We caused a mass evacuation just after we boarded. The crew will have taken all the escape pods." 

The Knights conferred, searching for a route to safety. All at once, a shared memory dug its way up from the back of Rey's mind.

"THIS WAY!!" 

She called to the Knights as she turned back into the ship. With renewed vigor, she threaded the hallways toward the rear of the ship, carefully following the map in her mind. There was less damage in this section of the Finalizer, and it was easier for them to move quickly. Rey paused at an unassuming little hallway that ended after five doors. She raced to the end and wrenched open the last one on the left. Stepping inside, she breathed a sigh of relief. The secondary vessel was undamaged. Laying Finn on the floor, she ran to the controls, strapped in and began pulling everything that she could remember about working in command to the front of her mind. The Knights arrived seconds behind her. Their surprise was evident, but they quickly recovered and after laying Ben next to Finn, they immediately helped man the stations. Not a moment too soon, for the whole ship tilted and the metal around them groaned. 

Rey shouted, "The Finalizer is being pulled into the atmosphere, we need to find the controls to separate now!" 

The Knight in the station next to her, looked doubtful. 

"Operating systems are standard, I can fly this once we are away, but I have no idea how to detach!"

"Hold on!" Rey closed her eyes and reached out, burrowing into the system, searching through operations. She found the sequence she was looking for and activated it. The ship shuttered and an alarms blared.

"WHAT NOW??"

"Separation failed. The locks were damaged and can't release!"

Incensed, Rey felt a shadow falling on her as another tremor shook the deck. Closing her eyes again, she reached out, not into the mainframe, but into the mechanism of the ship itself. She found the apparatus that linked the main and secondary ship. There was a multitude of them. Extending both of her hands Rey made a gesture in the air like she was breaking a chain apart. The lock released, and she moved on to the next one. She made it through several of them before the Finalizer made a dive and they were turned sideways. Rey nearly lost her concentration as she was afraid Ben and Finn would be thrown against the bulkhead. 

"Don't worry!" One of the Knights called out, "I strapped them down! Just get us free!"

Rey concentrated again. There was no time to disengage one lock at a time. She connected to all of them, clenching her fists and straining to tear them apart. She felt like her muscles were being ripped along with the locks. 

"We...are...not...going...to... **die**...here." 

Accessing that dangerous part of her training that went beyond her strength, she wrenched her hands apart and severed the remaining locks simultaneously. The secondary ship straightened and Rey slumped in her seat.

"We are away!" One of the Knights whooped.

But the voice sounded far away as Rey's vision grew fuzzy and she dropped into blackness.


End file.
